Metal Science and Heat Treatment Vol. 46, Nos.

1 2, 2004

STRUCTURAL TRANSFORMATIONS
UDC 669.14:620.186

WIDMANSTATTEN STRUCTURE OF CARBON STEELS

R. P. Todorov1 and Kh. G. Khristov1

Translated from Metallovedenie i Termicheskaya Obrabotka Metallov, No. 2, pp. 3 7, February, 2004.

The effect of the main factors responsible for the formation of Widmanstatten structure in steel, i.e., the size of
austenite grains, the cooling rate, and the chemical composition, is investigated. A generalizing diagram illus-
trating the susceptibility of steels to formation of Widmanstatten structure is presented as a function of their
place in the Fe C phase diagram. The mechanism of crystallization of Widmanstatten structures is considered.

INTRODUCTION Widmanstatten structures of hypereutectoid steels appear

similar (Fig. 1c and d ). In a conventional structure the entire
Widmanstatten structures have rarely been an object of secondary cementite is located in peripheral microregions
interest of researchers. The available data on their crystalli- (Cp ). In a Widmanstatten structure a part of secondary
zation are scarce and contradictory. The information mainly cementite is located inside austenite (Cw ). An important
concerns hypoeutectoid steels. It has been shown that characteristic of a Widmanstatten structure is the ratio Fw /Fp
low-carbon steels with less than 0.3% carbon are susceptible for hypoeutectoid steels and the ratio Cw /Cp for hyper-
to formation of Widmanstatten structure if they have a
coarse-grained austenitic structure and have been cooled at
an elevated rate. As a rule, Widmanstatten structures are as-
sumed to be a result of a specific crystallization mechanism
that involves diffusion and diffusion-free processes. Fp
The aim of the present work consisted in studying the ef-
fect of the main factors influencing the formation of Wid- P P
manstatten structures in carbon steels.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Fw

b
General Characteristic of Widmanstatten Structures
We will begin with a general description of conventional Cp Cw
and Widmanstatten structures. A conventional structure of
low-carbon steel consists of ferrite and pearlite (Fig. 1a ).
Crystals of hypoeutectoid ferrite are located in peripheral re-
gions of the initial austenite grains. We will denote such fer- P
P
rite Fp . The pearlite component is concentrated in the core.
In a Widmanstatten structure (Fig. 1b ) peripheral regions of
austenite bear only a part of hypoeutectoid ferrite. The other
part of ferrite (which is frequently a dominant one) is located c Cp d
inside, i.e., in the bulk of austenite grains in the form of Fig. 1. Conventional (a, c) and Widmanstatten (b, d ) structures
lamellar and branched formations. In Fig. 1b such ferrite is in steels (a diagram): a, b ) low-carbon (hypoeutectoid) steel;
denoted Fw (Widmanstatten ferrite). Conventional and c, d ) hypereutectoid steel; P ) pearlite; Fp ) peripheral pearlite;
Fw ) Widmanstatten ferrite; Cp ) peripheral cementite; Cw ) Wid-
1
Technical University, Gabrovo, Bulgaria. manstatten cementite.

49
0026-0673/04/0102-0049 2004 Plenum Publishing Corporation
50 R. P. Todorov and Kh. G. Khristov

Fp Fw Fw Fp Fw Fw , %
Fp 100

80
Fp
60

40
Fw
20 Dcr
Fig. 2. Widmanstatten structures with different fineness (a diagram).

0 60 120 180 D, mm
Qph , %
Fig. 4. Amount of Widmanstatten ferrite Fw in the structure of
100
hypoeutectoid steel (0.20% C) as a function of the diameter of aus-
80 tenite grains. The cooling rate is 80 100 K/min.

60 Pearlite
40 structures. Figure 3a presents the dependence of the phase
Fp
20 composition on the content of carbon in hypoeutectoid and
Cp hypereutectoid steels, which was obtained under conditions
0
of slow cooling. It is known that under these conditions
Qph , % steels acquire conventional structures, i.e., ferrite-pearlite,
100 pearlite, or cementite-pearlite ones. The proportion of com-
b ponents in them, i.e., of hypoeutectoid ferrite, secondary
80
cementite, and pearlite, correspond to equilibrium values.
60 Fp Pearlite The dependence presented in Fig. 3b was obtained under
(quasi-pearlite)
40 conditions of accelerated cooling (in air). In this case steels
Cp bearing 0.5 0.9% C acquire a purely eutectoid or quasi-
20
Fw Cw
eutectoid structure. In other steels the formed structure has a
Widmanstatten pattern. A greater part of hypoeutectoid fer-
0 0.4 0.8 1.2 1.6 2.0 C, %
rite and secondary cementite is located inside austenite
Fig. 3. Content of phases Qph in steel as a function of the concentra- grains, i.e., they are Widmanstatten formations. It should be
tion of carbon. Austenite grains are 80 90 mm in diameter: a) slow noted that in pure (plain) iron Widmanstatten structures do
cooling (with the furnace); b ) air cooling; Fp ) peripheral ferrite; not form under such cooling conditions. Such structures are
Cp ) peripheral cementite; Fw ) Widmanstatten ferrite; Cw ) Wid- present in hypoeutectoid steels bearing 0.05 0.5% C. The
manstatten cementite. range of hypoeutectoid steels that acquire a Widmanstatten
structure is wider (0.9 2.14% C).
eutectoid steels. Its value varies in a quite wide range (from
Effect of Austenite Grains
0.1 to 9). The higher is the ratio, the more Widmanstatten
ferrite or cementite is contained in the structure of the steel. The behavior of hypoeutectoid ferrite and secondary
Widmanstatten structures differ in their fineness (Fig. 2), cementite during crystallization also depends on the size of
which is chiefly characterized by the thickness of the the initial austenite grains. Our studies show that the suscep-
lamellas and the amount of ferrite or cementite formations. tibility of steels to formation of conventional and Widman-
The thickness of Widmanstatten ferrite lamellas hf.w va- statten structures can be illustrated by the dependence pre-
ries from 1 to 10 mm; in individual cases hf.w > 10 mm. It will sented in Fig. 4. It can be seen that there exists a critical di-
be shown below that the quantitative relations between pe- ameter of initial austenite grains (Dcr ) at which Widman-
ripheral and Widmanstatten formations and their dispersion statten forms of hypoeutectoid ferrite appear in the process
in the structures of hypoeutectoid and hypereutectoid steels of cooling of the studied steel in air. If the grain size is
are determined by the content of carbon, the size of austenite smaller than Dcr , the steels in question acquire a conven-
tional structure. In other words, the entire hypoeutectoid fer-
grains, and the cooling rate at which crystals of hypoeutec-
rite in the steels is located in peripheral microregions of
toid ferrite and secondary cementite segregate.
grains. This means that the formation of a conventional or a
Widmanstatten structure is a controllable process. It is
Effect of Carbon
enough to control the size of austenite grains before cooling
The content of carbon influences substantially the sus- in the temperature range of crystallization of hypoeutectoid
ceptibility of Fe C alloys to formation of Widmanstatten ferrite or secondary cementite. It should be taken into ac-
Widmanstatten Structure of Carbon Steels
Dcr , mm
120
80
40
0 0.8 1.6 C, %
Fig. 5. Critical diameter of austenite grains as a function of the car-
bon content in steels.
count that Dcr is very sensitive to the carbon content (Fig. 5).
In low-carbon steels (for example, at 0.1% C) Dcr = 100 mm,
whereas in high-carbon steels (> 1% C) Dcr decreases to
10 12 mm. These data show that the existing idea that the
susceptibility to formation of Widmanstatten structures is
typical only for steels with large austenite grains is applica-
ble to low-carbon steels only.
Effect of Cooling Rate
The susceptibility of Fe C alloys to formation of con-
ventional and Widmanstatten structures is connected with the
cooling rate. This explains the fact that the dependences pre-
sented above are valid only for specific cooling conditions.
Our studies of steel with 0.20% C show (Figs. 6 and 7) that
the cooling rate factor is no less significant for crystalliza-
tion of hypoeutectoid ferrite than the grain size and the
carbon content factors.
We studied the dependence of the amount of Wid-
manstatten ferrite on the cooling rate. Before the cooling, the
specimens had an austenitic structure with grains 80 85 mm
in size. This was ensured by the appropriate choice of the
temperature and the duration of hold in the austenitic state. In
our case the specimens were heated to 950C and subjected
to a 15-min hold. It has been shown (Fig. 6) that Widman-
statten hypoeutectoid ferrite appears at a critical cooling rate
(vcr = 80 K/min). For a cooling rate vcool < vcr the entire
hypoeutectoid ferrite is located in peripheral regions of aus-
tenite grains. The picture changes when vcool > vcr . In this
case a part of the ferrite forms inside austenite grains, i.e., a
Widmanstatten structure appears. The dependence of Dcr on
the cooling rate is very important. The data of Fig. 7 show
that by choosing the size of austenite grains we can obtain a
conventional or a Widmanstatten structure in the considered
steel. The dependences presented above show that the loca-
tion of crystals of hypoeutectoid ferrite or secondary
cementite depends simultaneously on the position of the al-
loy in the Fe C diagram, on the size of austenite grains, and
on the cooling rate.
51
Fw , %
100
80
Fp
60
40
Fw
20 vcr
0 100 200 vcool , K/min
Fig. 6. Dependence of the amount of Widmanstatten ferrite Fw in
steel 20 on the cooling rate. The austenite grains are 80 90 mm in
diameter.
Dcr , mm
200
150
100
50
0 100 200 vcool , K/min
Fig. 7. Critical diameter Dcr of austenite grains in steel 20 as a func-
tion of the cooling rate.
Generalizing Dependences
Attempts to create generalizing dependences are re-
flected in Figs. 8 and 9. Figure 8 presents a dependence relat-
ing the content of carbon, the critical diameter of austenite
grains, and the cooling rate. The same relationship but in a
somewhat different form is presented in Fig. 9. In this case
the critical size of austenite grains is replaced by approxi-
mate locations of the boundaries separating conventional
structures from Widmanstatten ones. Figure 9 illustrates an
attempt to relate the considered factors using one function
and shows the approximate location of the interface, because
it is very hard and virtually impossible to maintain the fac-
tors at the same level. This especially concerns the cooling
rate and the constancy of the chemical composition. The
point is that crystallization of hypoeutectoid ferrite is sensi-
tive not only to the content of carbon but also to the concen-
tration of impurities. However, the dependences presented in
Figs. 8 and 9 are quite reliable. They give us grounds for
making a very important conclusion for understanding the
process of crystallization of hypoeutectoid steels, i.e., the
formation of conventional or Widmanstatten structure in this
or that steel can be a controllable process. The required struc-
ture can be obtained by choosing the appropriate content of
52 R. P. Todorov and Kh. G. Khristov

Dcr , mm
the causes of location of crystals of hypoeutectoid ferrite and
secondary cementite in the structure of carbon steels. In other
200 words, we should answer the question of why these crystals
are located under some conditions in only peripheral
microregions of the initial austenite grains but are detected
100 simultaneously in peripheral and internal regions under other
conditions.
Let us consider these differences for hypoeutectoid steel.
We will assume that heating and a hold above the line ES en-
0 0.5 1.0 1.5 C, %
sure a fine-grained austenitic structure. Then in the process
Fig. 8. Dependence of the critical diameter Dcr of austenite grains of subsequent cooling the austenite becomes supersaturated
on the carbon content in steels: O) vcool = 2 3 K/min; )) vcool = with carbon after crossing the line ES. This causes segrega-
40 50 K/min; ^) vcool = 80 100 K/min. tion of crystals of secondary cementite. Their location coin-
cides with the location of boundaries, because boundaries are
t, C places of concentration of defects (vacancies, enhanced car-
1600 A bon concentration, dislocations, impurities, etc.). This pro-
B vides formation of nuclei of a cementite phase. Subsequent
1400 crystallization of secondary cementite occurs on these nuclei.
This is quite possible, because the diffusion paths to be
1200 E passed by the atoms of excess carbon to the boundaries are
1000 short under the conditions of a fine-grained austenitic struc-
ture. Under the conditions of a coarse-grained austenitic
800 S structure, the nuclei work only for the close-lying micro-
600 P regions of austenite. The regions far from the boundaries are
Dcr , mm in need of new crystallization nuclei. Such nuclei appear in
internal regions of austenite grains. They serve as a basis for
200 Widmanstatten formation of Widmanstatten crystals of secondary austenite.
160 Thus, the Widmanstatten formations of secondary cementite
are a result of crystallization of excess carbon under the con-
120
ditions of large-crystal austenitic structure. These reasons
80 make the mentioned dependences involving the critical cool-
Conventional
40 ing rates logical. It is natural that the appearance of
Widmanstatten cementite is possible when the sizes of aus-
0
tenite grains exceed the critical diameter determined for the
Dcr , mm
given cooling conditions. By controlling the cooling rate we
b will be able to change the size of the critical diameter of aus-
80 Widmanstatten
tenite grains too. It is also understandable that Widman-
40 statten structures will be obtainable at any grain size and
Conventional
cooling rate except for those favorable for formation of a
0 0.4 0.8 1.2 1.6 2.0 C, % quasi-pearlitic or martensitic structure.
Fig. 9. Diagram reflecting the formation of Widmanstatten struc- It cannot be doubted that Widmanstatten formations of
tures as a function of the carbon content and of the diameter of aus- secondary cementite form as a result of a diffusion process.
tenite grains in steels with coarse (a) and fine (b ) austenite grains Their composition corresponds to that of cementite crystals
(the Fe C diagram is presented at the top for convenience). located on boundaries.
It is obvious that we could have chosen crystallization of
hypoeutectoid steel as an example with no lesser success.
carbon, the heating regime, the hold, and the cooling rate. The processes responsible for the formation of hypoeutectoid
This refers not only to ferrite-pearlite and cementite-pearlite ferrite virtually correspond to crystallization of secondary
steels but also to quasi-pearlite steels including sorbite and cementite. Both are connected with diffusion of carbon
troostite structures. atoms. The only difference is the direction of the diffusion
flows. In the case of segregation of crystals of secondary
Causes of Crystallization cementite the flow of carbon atoms is directed to the austeni-
of Widmanstatten Structures te cementite interface. In the case of segregation of hypo-
eutectoid ferrite the direction of the flow is inverse, i.e., from
The suggested dependences describing formation of con- the ferrite-austenite crystallization front to internal micro-
ventional and Widmanstatten structures allow us to discuss regions of austenite. These differences do not change the fact
Widmanstatten Structure of Carbon Steels
that Widmanstatten formations of ferrite appear only when
the diameter of the austenite grains exceeds the critical value.
The effect of the cooling rate factor can be explained in the
same manner.
Let us supplement these considerations by discussion of
the location of crystals of secondary cementite and hypo-
eutectoid ferrite, which have appeared inside austenite
grains. It is known that thermal stresses appear in the volume
of austenite grains during cooling. Crystallization of hypo-
eutectoid ferrite or secondary cementite is accompanied by
the appearance of structural stresses. The stresses relax due
to formation of dislocation slip planes. Most frequently, these
are packets of dislocation slip planes (PDSP). They are
known to be places of concentration of defects (vacancies,
dislocations, etc.). For this reason, PDSP promote the ap-
pearance of crystallization nuclei of hypoeutectoid ferrite
and secondary cementite, which form inside austenite grains.
53
This explains the lamellar shape of the Widmanstatten for-
mations and their linear arrangement.
CONCLUSIONS
1. Conventional and Widmanstatten structures are
formed during normal crystallization of hypoeutectoid and
hypereutectoid steels.
2. Widmanstatten structures appear only under condi-
tions where the amount of the nuclei of hypoeutectoid ferrite
and secondary cementite located on the boundaries is insuffi-
cient for crystallization of hypoeutectoid ferrite or secondary
cementite inside austenite grains.
3. The content of carbon, the cooling rate, and the sizes
of austenite grains are the main factors determining the for-
mation of conventional or Widmanstatten structures. By con-
trolling these quantities we can obtain the needed (conven-
tional or Widmanstatten) structure.