Nucleation of intragranular ferrite in Fe-Ni-P alloys

Abstract

The nucleation of intragranular ferrite from austenite in Fe-Ni-P alloys was investigated in order to understand the development of the Widmanstatten pattern in iron meteorites. Alloys containing 5 to 10 wt pct Ni and 0 to 1 wt pct P were used to simulate iron meteorite compositions. In the isothermal and controlled cooling experiments the reaction path γ → α+ γ serves only to nucleate ferrite along austenite grain boundaries. It is necessary for (FeNi)3P to be present within y grains in order to nucleate intragranular ferrite. The reaction path γ → γ+ phosphide → α + γ + phosphide yields rod shaped ferrite nuclei that bear a near Kurdjumov-Sachs orientation relationship with the surrounding matrix. The precipitation of ferrite, both along grain boundaries and within the austenite grains, is suppressed in the absence of P.