Welding engineering and Metallurgy

Mechanical engineering, 8th Sem

Roll no.-1520019
QUIZ TEST No. 3
Q.1.FCC is a more close packed structure yet solubility of carbon in
austenite which is FCC is higher than that in ferrite which is BCC.
Why it is so?

FCC has higher packing density than BCC. Yet the solubility of carbon is FCC is higher.
This is because the interstitial
sites in FCC are bigger than that
in BCC. There are 2 types of
interstitial sites octahedral &
tetrahedral. In FCC the former
is significantly larger than the
latter. Whereas in BCC these
are nearly same. The total open
space is shared by more number
of sites. Therefore interstitial
gap in BCC is much smaller
than that of FCC. This is why
carbon which occupies
interstitial site has higher
solubility in austenite (FCC).
Apart from this the interstitial
site in BCC is asymmetric.
When a carbon atom goes into the interstices the atoms along one of the axes are pushed
further apart. This results in a tetragonal distortion.

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Q.2Explain Iron – Cementite Meta‐stable Binary Phase diagram in brief.

The above sketch is a little enlarged version of the phase diagram. Fe & Fe3C (also known
as cementite) are the two components. Nomenclature: P denotes Pearlite the product
of eutectoid reaction in iron carbon system. It is a mixture of ferrite and cementite.
Ferrite = α, austenite = γ, high temperature ferrite = δ, Ledebutite = LD: the product
of the eutectic reaction. Note that austenite can form either by peritectic reaction
between δ & L and also by direct precipitation from liquid when % C > 0.55. TLD =
transformed Ledeburite. Ledeburite is a eutectic mixture of austenite and cementite.
At room temperature austenite is not stable. It transforms into Pearlite. TLD therefore
consists of tiny nodules of pearlite in cementite matrix. It also describes the main
structural features of five types of iron carbon alloys. Low carbon steel consists of
ferrite and tertiary cementite. Hypo‐eutectoid steel has ferrite, proeutectoid cementite
and pearlite. Hyper‐eutectoid steel has pro‐eutectoid cementite (secondary) and
pearlite. Hypo‐eutectic cast iron has pearlite, transformed ledeburite and pro‐eutectoid
(secondary) cementite. Hyper‐eutectic cast iron has primary cementite and
transformed ledeburite. So far evolution of microstructure that takes place during
solidification of iron – carbon alloys has been explained with the help of schematic
microstructure. The following page gives a few typical microstructures of steel and
cast iron.

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Typical microstructures of steel and cast iron
Fig A1: Microstructure of 0.15% carbon steel
consisting of ferrite (bright) and pearlite
(dark).Lamellar feature pearlite is not visible.
(Curtsey G Das CSIR‐NML Jamshedpur)
Fig A3: Microstructure of a near eutectoid steel
having a little pro‐eutectoid cementite in a matrix
of pearlite. In some of regions finer details of
pearlitic (lamellar) structure is visible.
Fig A5: Microstructure of hyper‐eutectic white
cast iron showing primary carbides (cm). The
rest of the region consists of a mixture of pearlite
and cementite or transformed eutectic
(ledeburite).
Welding engineering and Metallurgy
Fig A2: Microstructure of medium carbon steel
consisting of ferrite (bright) and pearlite (dark).
Amount of pearlite increases with % carbon.
(Curtsey G Das CSIR‐NML Jamshedpur).
Amount of pearlite increases with % carbon.
(Curtsey G Das CSIR‐NML Jamshedpur).
Fig A4: SEM image of 0.84% C steel having
nearly 100% pearlite. Lamellar feature is clearly
visible. The dark region is pro‐eutectoid
cementite.
(Curtsey G Das CSIR‐NML Jamshedpur)
Fig A6: Microstructure of grey cast iron having
graphite flakes in a matrix consisting of mostly
ferrite and some amount of pearlite.
(Curtsey G Das CSIR‐NML Jamshedpur)
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 Welding engineering and Metallurgy

Q.3. Explain the formation of pearlite phase.

When % carbon in austenite reaches 0.8% eutectoid reaction sets in. This is an invariant
reaction. As long as it continues the temperature remains constant. During this stage both
cementite and ferrite start precipitating from austenite at the same time. The product is an
intimate mixture of two phases. It is known as pearlite. It consists of parallel layers (plates) of
ferrite and cementite. Figure 4 gives a series of sketches showing various stages involved in
the formation of pearlite. When a cementite plate nucleates as in (Fig. 4(a)) at an austenite
boundary it takes carbon from its neighbouring area. This results in a change in local carbon
profile as shown in the sketch. Just beside cementite % C = 0.02 whereas at a distance far
from this it approaches 0.8 % C (this is the composition of the eutectoid). When this becomes
low enough a ferrite plate nucleates. Figure 4 (b) illustrates this. Note the change in carbon
concentration as a function of distance. Figure 4 (c) shows the arrangement of ferrite
cementite plates in a colony of pearlite. The width of the two is approximately proportional to
% ferrite and % cementite in eutectoid steel having 0.8% carbon. Using lever rule %
cementite in pearlite =100 x (0.8‐0.025) / (6.67‐0.025) = 12% (approximately). Therefore %
ferrite = 88%. The ratio of the two is approximately equal to
1:7. This means the width of the ferrite plate will be seven times the width of cementite plate.

Q.4. Describe the three invariant reactions.

Peritectic reaction

Q.5.