icrostructureofFerrousAlloys.pdfVIP

Published by Buehler, a division of Illinois Tool Works Volume 3, Issue 7 Microstructure of Ferrous Alloys By: George Vander Voort Introduction for revealing ferrite in a martensite matrix and for revealing ferrite The microstructure of iron-based alloys is very complicated and grain boundaries in low-carbon steels. Picral is better for revealing diverse, being influenced by composition, homogeneity, processing the cementite in ferritic alloys and the structure of ferrite-cementite and section size. Microstructures of castings look different than constituents, pearlite and bainite. Nital and picral both dissolve those of wrought products, even of the same composition and if ferrite but nital’s dissolution rate is a function of crystal orientation given the same heat treatment. In general, it is easiest to identify while picral’s rate is uniform. Aqueous sodium metabisulfite reveals heat-treated structures after transformation and before tempering. ferrite grain boundaries, will color some of the ferrite grains (some For example, if a mixed microstructure of bainite and martensite stay white), reveals pearlite and bainite much like picral but also is formed during quenching, these constituents will become more etches martensite nicely, as-quenched or tempered. Other reagents difficult to identify reliably as the tempering temperature given the have their uses, especially when dealing with higher alloy grades, product increases towards the lower critical temper