Nanostructure of Fe-C Alloys Prepared by Arc Melting in Vacuum

Three different Fe-C alloys were prepared in vacuum using the arc melting method: hypereutectoid (1.4% C), eutectoid (0.76% C) and hypoeutectoid (0.4% C). Unlike commercial steels, which they always contain Mn and other impurities, our samples were prepared by using high quality powders (99.999 wt.%). The samples were heat-treated and then observed with optical and scanning electronic microscopy (Zeiss EVO MA10). Selected samples were tested by microidentation (microhardness test). After isothermal transformation at 350 °C fine bainite nanostructures were observed in the hypoeutectoid sample, the mean size of which was found to be 50 nm. With the eutectoid sample, following different heat treatment procedures different micro-and nanostructures were measured: pearlite lamellar spacing, spheroidized cementite particles, and martensite needles, whose mean size is 145 nm, 290 nm and 200 nm respectively. The nanostructure of hypereutectoid sample after isothermal transformation at 650 °C, reveals the eutectoid and proeutectoid cementite lamellas with a mean spacing of 390 nm. X-ray diffraction pattern of eutectoid sample indicated the existence of cementite (Fe3C) content which is also confirmed by carbon mapping of pearlite colonies performed with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy. The Vickers hardness of the samples compares well to the one of corresponding commercial steels.