Correlation between the crystallography and morphology of proeutectoid Widmanstätten cementite precipitates

Abstract

Electron backscatter diffraction was used in conjunction with deep etching to examine the relationship between the crystallography and three-dimensional morphology of cementite precipitates in an Fe–1.34 wt% C–13.1 wt% Mn steel. Orientation relationships (ORs) between more than 200 proeutectoid Widmanstätten cementite precipitates and the surrounding austenite were determined to be on or very near either the well-known Pitsch OR or the Farooque–Edmonds OR. Scanning electron microscopy of the same specimens after deep etching was used to determine the three-dimensional morphology of each of the precipitates for which an OR was determined. These precipitates could be identified as either monolithic plates or conglomerates of laths. Results show that monolithic plates consistently exhibit the Pitsch OR and conglomerates of laths have the Farooque–Edmonds OR, indicating that the precipitate morphologies are dictated by their orientation relationships.