Cast Iron Phase Diagram
Cast Iron Phase Diagram
Cast Iron Phase Diagram
+
A
B
%B (weight %)
T
e
m
p
e
r
a
t
u
r
e
X
Temp = T
X
!
X
"
For an overall composition X at temperature T, the
composition of the "-phase is X
"
and the composition of
the !-phase is X
!
.
The Lever Rule
+
A
B
%B (weight %)
T
e
m
p
e
r
a
t
u
r
e
X
Temp = T
X
!
X
"
For an overall composition X at temperature T the weight
fraction of the "-phase (F
"
) is represented by the equation:
F
"
= (X
!
- X)/(X
!
- X
"
)
The Lever Rule
+
A
B
%B (weight %)
T
e
m
p
e
r
a
t
u
r
e
X
Temp = T
X
!
X
"
For an overall composition X at temperature T the weight
fraction of the !-phase (F
!
) is represented by the equation:
F
!
= (X - X
"
)/(X
!
- X
"
)
Practice Problem #1
For an overall composition of iron with 4 % carbon held at
741C, what are the compositions of the two phases and weight
fractions of each phase?
~
~
~
100
Liquid + Graphite
Austenite () + Graphite
Ferrite () + Graphite
Graphite
(Solubility of
iron in solid
graphite is
negligible)
Practice Problem #1
The austenite phase contains 0.85% carbon at 741C, and the
graphite phase contains 100% carbon.
~
~
~
100
Liquid + Graphite
Austenite () + Graphite
Ferrite () + Graphite
X
X
graphite
X
~
~
~
Practice Problem #1
The weight fraction of the austenite phase is calculated as:
100
Liquid + Graphite
Austenite () + Graphite
Ferrite () + Graphite
X
X
graphite
X
F
= (X
graphite
X)/(X
graphite
-X
X
graphite
X
F
graphite
= (X X
)/(X
graphite
-X
Liquid
C
Fe
C
C
Fe
Fe
Phase Transformations in Equilibrium
Binary Phase Systems
Second Phase Precipitate Microstructure
The form of the second phase is dependent upon cooling rates
and diffusion rates of solute atoms in solution.
The form is also dependent upon availability of nucleation
sites.
The form may also be dependent upon the crystal structure of
two phases.
Solid dendrites
growing from a
rapidly cooled liquid
Graphite flakes
precipitated from
liquid iron
Phase Transformations in the Iron-Carbon
Equilibrium Binary Phase Systems
3-Phase Transformations Iron-Carbon Alloys
~
~
~
100
Liquid +
Graphite
Austenite () +
Graphite
Ferrite () +
Graphite
Peritectic Transformation
(Liquid + Solid A Solid B)
Eutectic Transformation
(Liquid Solid A + Solid B)
Eutectoid Transformation
(Solid A Solid B + Solid C)
Phase Transformations in Equilibrium
Binary Phase Systems
3-Phase Transformations (A B + C)
3-phase transformations occur at a single temperature
and composition.
Eutectic and eutectoid transformations involve
simultaneous nucleation and growth of two phases
together.
Typical microstructure is a lamellar
structure with alternating layers of
the two phases.
Typical lamellar microstructure
from a eutectic transformation
Practice Problem #2
For an overall composition of iron with 4 % carbon slowly
cooled from 1200C to 1152C, what are the weight fractions of
primary austenite and the eutectic microstructures?
~
~
~
100
Liquid + Graphite
Austenite () + Graphite
Ferrite () + Graphite
Graphite
(Solubility of
iron in solid
graphite is
negligible)
+ L
~
~
~
Practice Problem #2
The weight fraction of the primary austenite microstructure is
calculated as:
100
Liquid + Graphite
Austenite () + Graphite
Ferrite () + Graphite
X
X
eutectic
X
F
= (X
eutectic
X)/(X
eutectic
-X
X
eutectic
X
F
eutectic
= (X - X
)/(X
eutectic
-X
X
Practice Problem #3
Using the LEVER RULE now with eutectoid austenite composition as X the weight
fractions ferrite and cementite that transform from the austenite are calculated as
follows:
F = (X
cementite
- X)/(X
cementite
- X
)/(X
cementite
- X
X
cementite
X
from
Fe
3
C from
Practice Problem #3
The overall volume fractions of the ferrite and the cementite in the total
microstructure is calculated as follows:
F
ferrite total
= F
from
x F