Evolution of the phase composition and defect substructure of rail steel subjected to high-intensity electron-beam treatment

The morphology, structure-phase states, and defect substructure of annealed rail steel subjected to electron-beam treatment in the surface-layer melting mode are studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy methods. The formation of the lath martensite structure, as well as cellular and dendritelike structures, containing nanoscale martensite crystals, is revealed.