Lecture - 4
Allotropic forms of iron
Iron - Carbon equilibrium diagram
Allotropy - Elements that occur in more than one
crystallographic form or lattice form is called allotropy and
the metal in which such changes occur is known as
allotropic.
Allotropy is a specific form of polymorphism, which is the
existence of a substance in more than one crystal form.
The different crystal structures are known as polymorphs.
The term polymorphism is applied to compounds as well
as to elements.
ALLOTROPIC FORMS OF IRON
Iron represents perhaps the best-known example for allotropy.
There are three allotropic forms of iron, known as alpha, gamma & delta.
DELTA IRON
GAMMA IRON
ALPHA IRON -Non-magnetic
APLHA IRON-Magnetic
Heating and cooling curves for pure iron
DELTA IRON ( ) - As molten iron cools down it
crystallizes at 1535C into its delta allotrope, which has a
body-centered cubic (BCC) crystal structure.
GAMMA IRON ( ) - It exists between 9100 C and 14010C
and has a FCC structure. eg: Austenite .
ALPHA IRON ()- It has a BCC structure and occurs
in two forms.
a. Ferro magnetic alpha solution magnetic in nature.
b. Paramagnetic solution. It exists between 7700C
and 9100c and is non- magnetic in nature.
Four main phases of steel
Ferrite
Pearlite
Cementite
Austenite
Ferrite
Grains or crystals of solid
solution of carbon in Alpha iron
as the solubility is negligible,
ferrite is more close to pure
iron. It is soft and ductile.
Cementite
When carbon goes into definite
combination with iron, it forms
iron carbide (Fe3C) which is called
as cementite. It contains 6.67 %
carbon and 93.33.% iron.
Pearlite
It is a mechanical mixture of about
87 % ferrite and 13 % cementite.
Contains a 0.8% carbon and it is
mechanical aggregate of ferrite
and cementite.
It is a constituent of steel
consisting of alternate layers of
ferrite (alpha-iron) and cementite
(iron Carbide Fe3C) and is formed
on cooling austenite at 723oC.
This produces a tough structure
and is responsible for the
mechanical
properties
of
unhardened steel.
Austenite
It is the solid solution of carbon
or iron carbide (Fe3C) in gamma
iron having, up to 1.7% carbon.
A nonmagnetic solid solution of
ferric carbide or carbon in iron,
used in making corrosionresistant steel.
Iron-Carbon Equilibrium Diagram
The iron-carbon (or iron carbide) equilibrium diagram
concerns transformations that occur in alloys having
compositions for pure iron to cementite (6.67 percent
carbon).
Any point in the diagram represents a definite alloy at
definite temperature.
The carbon contents are shown on the horizontal axis and
temperature on the vertical axis.
Whenever an alloy is heated or cooled so that a line on the
diagram is crossed, a phase change occurs.
The iron-carbon
equilibrium diagram
Melting point of pure iron
Solubility limit of carbon in
iron at 1130C
Equilibrium diagram for combinations of carbon in a solid solution of
iron.
The diagram shows iron and carbons combined to form Fe-Fe 3C at
the 6.67%C end of the diagram.
The left side of the diagram is pure iron combined with carbon,
resulting in steel alloys.
Three significant regions can be made relative to the steel portion of
the diagram.
They are the eutectoid E, the hypo eutectoid A, and the
hypereutectoid B.
The composition of 2 % carbon is very important in the alloys
of iron and carbon.
An alloy containing less than 2 % carbon solidifies entirely as
austenite and is known as steel.
When the carbon content is above 2 % the alloy is known as
cast iron.
Steels are classified into steel containing 0.77 percent carbon are known as
eutectoid steel and steel containing less than 0.77 percent carbon are
known as hypoeutectoid steel and those containing mores than 0.77
percent carbon are known as hypereutectoid steel.
The iron carbon equilibrium diagram can be divided
into the following simple diagrams.
Peritectic transformation Alpha iron transforms into
austenite
Eutectic transformation
Austenite and cementite is
formed from liquid
Solid solution
Austenite is formed
Eutectoid transformation Pearlite is formed
Peritectic transformation
Peritectic transformation The Peritectic transformation takes
place at 1492C as shown by HJB.
,
Cooling
Alpha iron () + liquid
Austenite
Heating
Eutectic transformation
Eutectic transformation takes place at 1130 C having 4.3 %
carbon, when the liquid transforms into eutectic mixture of
cementite and austenite (Ledeburite). In the micro structure
austenite is visible at room temperature since it is stable upto
723C.
Cooling
Liquid
Austenite +Cementite
Heating
Eutectoid transformation
Austenite containing 0.8 percent carbon as completely converted
to pearlite at 723C
Cooling
Austenite
Ferrite +Cementite
Heating
Critical temperatures
Upper critical temperature (point) A3
Upper critical temperature (point) ACM
Lower critical temperature (point) A1
Magnetic transformation temperature A2
Upper critical temperature (point) A3 is the temperature,
below which ferrite starts to form as a result of ejection
from austenite in the hypoeutectoid alloys.
ACM
Upper critical temperature (point) ACM is the temperature, below
which cementite starts to form as a result of ejection from austenite in
the hypereutectoid alloys.
Lower critical temperature (point) A1 is the temperature of the austeniteto-pearlite eutectoid transformation. Below this temperature austenite does
not exist.
Magnetic transformation temperature A2 is the temperature
below which -ferrite is ferromagnetic.
