Iron carbon equilibrium

diagram
Fig Iron Carbon Equilibrium Diagram
Fig Iron Carbon Equilibrium Diagram
Orthorhombic Fe C. Iron atoms are blue.
 Fe-C equilibrium diagram
The structural form of pure iron at room temperature is
called ferrite or -iron.
Ferrite is soft and ductile.
Since ferrite has a body-centred cubic structure, the
inter-atomic spaces are small and pronouncedly oblate,
and cannot readily accommodate even a small carbon
atom. Therefore, solubility of carbon in ferrite is very low,
of the order of 0.006% at room temperature.
The maximum carbon content in ferrite is 0.05% at 723
C.

Contd
 In addition to carbon, a certain amount of silicon,
manganese and phosphorous may be found in ferrite.
The face-centred modification of iron is called austenite or
-iron. It is the stable form of pure iron at temperatures
between 910C and 1400C. At its stable temperature
austenite is soft and ductile and consequently, is well
suited for manufacturing processes.
The face-centred cubic structure of iron has larger
inter-atomic spacing than in ferrite. Even so, in FCC
structure the interstices are barely large enough to
accommodate carbon atoms, and lattice strains are
produced. As a result, not all the interstitial sites can be
filled at any one time.

Contd
 The maximum solubility is only 2% of carbon at 11 30C.
Above 1400C, austenite is no longer the most stable form
of iron, and the crystal structure changes back to a
body-centred cubic phase called delta iron. This is the
same phase as the -iron except for its temperature range.
The solubility of carbon in -ferrite is small, but it is
appreciably larger than In -ferrite, because of higher
temperature. The maximum solubility of carbon in &iron
is 0.1% at 1490C.

Contd
 In iron-carbon alloys, carbon in excess of the solubility limit
must form a second phase, which is called iron carbide or
cementite.
Iron carbide has the chemical composition of . This does
not mean that iron carbide forms molecules of but simply
that the crystal lattice contains iron and carbon atoms in a three
-to- one ratio.
The compound has an orthorhombic unit cell with
twelve iron atoms and four carbon atoms per cell, and thus has
a carbon content of 6.67%.
As compared to austenite and ferrite, cementite being an
inter-metallic compound, is very hard and brittle.
The presence of iron carbide with ferrite in steel greatly
increases the strength of steel.

Contd
 In the reaction, the simultaneous formation of ferrite and
cementite from austenite results at the temperature of 723
C and composition of 0.80% carbon.
There are nearly 12% of iron carbide and slightly more
than 88% of ferrite in the resulting mixture.
Since the ferrite and cementite are formed simultaneously,
they are intimately mixed. Characteristically, the mixture
is lamellar, i.e., it is composed of alternate layers of ferrite
and cementite.
This micro-structure is called pearlite which is very
important in iron and steel technology, because it can be
formed in almost all steels by means of suitable heat
treatments.
Contd
 The alloy containing 0.80% of carbon is called the
eutectoid steel.
Upon cooling the eutectoid steel below 723C, all of the
austenite is transformed into pearlite.
Alloys with less than 0.80% C are called hypo-eutectoid
steels and those with higher composition are called
hyper-eutectoid steels.

Contd
 Fe-Fe3C phase diagram is characterized by five individual phases,:
ferrite (BCC) Fe-C solid solution, -austenite (FCC) Fe-C solid
solution, -ferrite (BCC) Fe-C solid solution, Fe3C (iron carbide) or
cementite - an inter-metallic compound and liquid Fe-C solution and
four invariant reactions:

peritectic reaction at 1495 oC and 0.16%C, -ferrite + L -iron

(austenite)
monotectic reaction 1495 oC and 0.51%C, L L + -iron
(austenite)
eutectic reaction at 1147 oC and 4.3 %C, L -iron + Fe3C
(cementite) [ledeburite]
eutectoid reaction at 723 oC and 0.8%C, -iron ferrite +
Fe3C (cementite) [pearlite]
Contd
 Three- phase reactions
Suffix ic denotes at least one liquid phase is there
Suffix oid all phases involve are solid
 IES-2004
Consider the following temperature ranges:
1. Room temperature 2. 0 to 910C
3. 910C to 1400oC 4. 1400oC to below melting
point
In which of the above temperature ranges ferrite with
body centered cubic structure is indicated in, the Fe-Fe3C
phase diagram?
(a)1, 2 and 4 (b)2, 3 and 4 (c)1 and 3 (d) 2 and 3
 IES-1992
The microstructure composition of pearlite for a Fe3C
diagram consists of
(a) Carbon dissolved in alpha iron having a body
cantered cubic structure.
(b) Carbon dissolved in gama iron having a face cantered
cubic structure.
(c) A mixture of body-cantered alpha iron and
face-entered gamma iron
(d) Carbon dissolved in body-cantered alpha iron and an
Fe, Fe3C.
 IES 2011
Liquid + solid (1) on cooling converting solid (2)
reaction is known as:
(a) Eutectoid reaction
(b) Eutectic reaction
(c) Peritectic reaction
(d) Peritectioid reaction
 IES 2010
Iron-carbon equilibrium diagram
(a) Correlates the microstructure and properties of
steel and cast iron
(b) Indicates the phase changes occurring during
heating and cooling
(c) Is made by plotting carbon percentage along X-axis
and temperature along Yaxis.
(d) All of the above
 IES 2010
Pearlite phase in an iron-carbide phase diagram
is
(a) Eutectic phase
(b) Hypoeutectic mixture
(c) Eutectoidal mixture
(d) Hypereutectic phase
 IES-1995
Match List I with List II and select the correct answer
using the codes given below the lists:
List I (Name of Material) List II (% Carbon Range)
A. Hypo-eutectoid steel 1. 4.3 - 6.67
B. Hyper-eutectoid steel 2. 2.0 - 4.3
C. Hypo-eutectic cast iron 3. 0.8 - 2.0
D. Hyper-eutectic cast iron 4. 0.008 - 0.8
Codes:A B C D A B C D
(a) 4 3 2 1 (b) 1 3 2 4
(c) 4 1 2 3 (d) 1 2 3 4
 IES-2004
An iron-carbon binary alloy has 0.5% C by weight.
What is this alloy called?
(a) Eutectoid alloy
(b) Eutectic alloy
(c) Hypo-eutectoid alloy
(d) Hypereutectoid alloy
 IES-1995
Eutectoid reaction occurs at
(a) 600C
(b) 723C
(c) 1147C
(d) 1493C
 IES-2005
The eutectoid of carbon in iron, above lower critical
temperature, when cooled, results in:
(a) Ferrite and austenite
(b) Ferrite and cementite
(c) Cementite and austenite
(d) Ferrite, cementite and austenite
 GATE-1992
Match the terms used in connection with heat-treatment of steel with the
micro structural/physical characteristics:
Terms Characteristics
(A) Pearlite (P)Extremely hard and brittle phase
(B) Martensite (Q)Cementite is finely dispersed in ferrite
(C) Austenite (R)Alternate layers of cementite and ferrite
(D) Eutectoid (S)Can exist only above 723C
(T)Pertaining to state of equilibrium between three
solid phases
(U)Pertaining to state of equilibrium between one
liquid and two solid phase
Codes: A B C D A B C D
(a) R P S T (b) R S P T
(c) T R P S (d) T R S P
 IES-2006
Match List-I (Fe-Fe3C Phase Diagram Characteristic) with
List-II (Phase) and select the correct answer using the code given
below the Lists:
List-I List-II
A. Alpha () iron 1. iron
B. Iron carbide having crystal lattice 2.Eutectic
with 3 iron and 1 carbon atom
C. BCC pure allotrope of iron is stable 3.Ferrite
between 1388 C and is melting
point at 1535C 4.Cementite
Codes:A B C A B C
(a) 4 2 3 (b) 3 4 1
(c) 4 2 1 (d) 3 1 2
 IES-2002
Match List I with List II and select the correct answer:
List I (Phase diagram) List II (Characteristic)
A. Isomorphous system 1.One liquid decomposes into another
liquid and solid
B.Eutectic system 2.One liquid and another solid combine to
form a new solid
C.Peritectic system 3.Two metals are completely soluble in
liquid state And completely insoluble in
solid state
D.Monotectic system 4.Two metals, soluble in solid and liquid
state
Codes: A B C D A B C D
(a) 2 3 4 1 (b) 4 1 2 3
(c) 2 1 4 3 (d) 4 3 2 1
 IES-1999
In a eutectic system, two elements are completely
(a) Insoluble in solid and liquid states
(b) Soluble in liquid state
(c) Soluble in solid state
(d) Insoluble in liquid state
 IES-1993
Eutectic reaction for iron-carbon system occurs at
(a) 600C
(b) 723C
(c) 1147C
(d) 1493C
 IES-2000
During peritectic solidification, one liquid
(a) Combines with one solid to form a second new solid

(b) Solidifies into two different solids

(c) Forms one solid
(d) Forms one solid and another liquid
 IES 2007
Which one of the following is the correct statement?
Pearlite in iron-carbon system is a
(a) Phase consisting of ferrite and cementite at room
temperature
(b) Mechanical mixture of ferrite and cementite at room
temperature
(c) Eutectic mixture ferrite and cementite at room
temperature
(d) All the above three are correct
 IES-2005
Increase of ferrite phase in steel increases:
(a) Strength
(b) Hardness
(c) Ductility
(d) Brittleness
 IES-2005
A 60 C-plain carbon steel has, approximately:
(a) 75% of pearlite and 25% of ferrite
(b) 25% of pearlite and 75% of ferrite
(c) 75% of cementite and 25% of ferrite
(d) 75% of pearlite and 25% of cementite
 IES-2000
Pearlite consists of
(a) 6.67% C and 93.33% ferrite
(b) 13% Fe and 87% cementite
(c) 13% C and 87% ferrite
(d) 13% cementite and 87% ferrite
 IES-1997
A given steel test specimen is studied under
metallurgical microscope. Magnification used is 100 X.
In that different phases are observed. One of them is
Fe3C. The observed phase Fe3C is also known as
(a) Ferrite
(b) Cementite
(c) Austenite
(d) Martensite
 IES-1995
Which one of the following sets of constituents is
expected in equilibrium cooling of a hypereutectoid
steel from austenitic state?
(a) Ferrite and pearlite
(b) Cementite and pearlite
(c) Ferrite and bainite
(d) Cementite and martensite
 IES-2001
Martensite is a super-saturated solution of carbon in
(a) Alpha iron
(b) Beta iron
(c) Gamma iron
(d) Delta iron
 1. Eutectic ( Fe-C)
(L1S1+S2)
Two materials are completely soluble in liquid state and
completely insoluble in solid state.
 2. Peritectic ( Fe-C)
(L+S1S2)
One Liquid and another solid combine to form a new
solid.
 3. Monotectic FeO2-SiO2
(L1S1+L2)
One Liquid decomposes into another liquid and solid.
 4. Syntectic Na-Zn
(L1+L2S1)
 5. Eutectoid Fe-C
(S1S2+S3)
 6. Peritectoid Cu-Al
S1 + S2S3
 Isomorphus system: In a binary system when there is
complete inter-solubility between components in all
phases, the system is isomorphus.
Ex: Cu-Ni, Al2O3-Cr2O3, NiO-MgO
Azeotropic system: Some of isomorphus binary system,
the liquidus touches, the solid tangentially at a minimum
temperature which is lower then milting temperature of
either of the two components.
Au-Cu, Au-Ni

Composition B w/o
 IES 2007
Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code
given below the Lists:
List I List II
(Name of the Invariant (Invariant Reaction during
Reaction) cooling)
A. Monotectic 1.LIQUID.SOLID1 + SOLID2
B. Eutectic 2.LIQUID1..LIQUID2 + SOLID
C. Eutectoid 3.SOLID1..SOLID1 + SOLID2
D. Peritectic 4.LIQUID + SOLID1..SOLID2
Code: A B C D A B C D
(a) 3 1 2 4 (b) 2 4 3 1
(c) 3 4 2 1 (d) 2 1 3 4
 IES-2004
Consider the following lead-tin phase diagram given
below:
For which one of the following alloy compositions, the
alloy will have the lowest melting point at 185oC
(a) 20% Sn and 80% Pb by weight
(b) 60% Sn and 40% Pb by weight
(c) 97% Sn and 3% Pb by weight
(d) 40% Sn and 60% Pb byweight
 Lever Rule
At a point in a phase diagram, phases present and their composition (tie-line
method) along with relative fraction of phases (lever rule) can be computed.
Relative amount of liquid and solid phases is given respectively by:

Therefore it is not restricted to solid phases only.

 IES-2008
Assertion (A): Lever Rule can be applied to determine
relative amounts of phases present at any temperature.
Reason (R): Lever Rule is restricted to estimate relative
phases, only if they are solid phases.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of
A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is NOT the correct
explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
 Example
In a binary system of A and B, if a liquid of 35% A (65% B)
is co-exists with a solid of 75% A (25% B), for an overall
composition of 40% A, the fraction of the liquid is given by
 GATE-2016
In a binary system of A and B, a liquid of 20%
A (80% B) is coexisting with a solid of 70% A
(30%B). For an overall composition having
40% A, the fraction of solid is
(a) 0.40 (b) 0.50
(c) 0.60 (d) 0.75
 Fe-C alloy classification
Fe-C alloys are classified according to wt.% C present in
the alloy for technological convenience as follows:
Commercial pure irons % C < 0.008
Low-carbon/mild steels 0.008 - %C - 0.3
Medium carbon steels 0.3 - %C - 0.8
High-carbon steels 0.8- %C - 2.11
Cast irons 2.11 < %C
 IES-2003
According to Gibbs' phase rule, the number of
degrees of freedom of an eutectic point in a binary
system is
(a) 1
(b) 2
(c) 0
(d) 3
The End