Kinetics and Microstructural Control

· T-T-T transformations also occur when heating a carbon steel from the low temperature α-iron/iron carbide phase to the high temperature austenite. This is shown for a 1080 carbon steel.
· The process shown is known as "austenization" of an initially pearlitic sample: α + Fe₃C -> γ
· Even after conversion to of the pearlite to austenite, there is still residual Fe₃C in the sample.

From: Brick, Pense,& Gordon, "Structure & Properties of Engineering Alloys, "McGraw Hill (1977)

· Longer heating is needed to dissolve this carbide in the material and produce a homogeneous austenite (γ-Fe).