Morphological Stability of δ-Ferrite/γ Interphase Boundary in Carbon Steel

Abstract

The morphological changes of the δ-ferrite/γ interphase boundary have been observed in situ with a high-temperature confocal scanning laser microscope (HTCSLM) during δ/γ transformations (δ → γ and γ → δ) of Fe-0.06 wt pct C-0.6 wt pct Mn alloy, and a kinetic equation of morphological stability of δ-ferrite/γ interphase boundary has been established. Thereafter, the criterion expression for morphological stability of δ-ferrite/γ interphase boundary was established and discussed, and the critical migration speeds of δ-ferrite/γ interphase boundaries are calculated in Fe-C, Fe-Ni, and Fe-Cr alloys. The results indicate that the δ-ferrite/γ interphase boundary is very stable and nearly remains absolute planar all the time during γ → δ transformation in Fe-C alloy. The δ-ferrite/γ interphase boundary remains basically planar during δ → γ transformation when the migration speed is lower than 0.88 μm/s, and the interphase boundary will be unstable and exhibit a finger-like morphology when the migration speed is higher than 0.88 μm/s. The morphological stability of δ-ferrite/γ interphase boundary is primarily controlled by the interface energy and the solute concentration gradient at the front of the boundary. During the constant temperature phase transformation, an opposite temperature gradient on both sides of δ-ferrite/γ interphase boundary weakens the steady effect of the temperature gradient on the boundary. The theoretical analysis of the morphological stability of the δ-ferrite/γ interphase boundary is coincident with the observed experimental results utilizing the HTCSLM. There is a good agreement between the theoretical calculation of the critical moving velocities of δ-ferrite/γ interphase boundaries and the experimental results.