Variation of carbon concentration in proeutectoid ferrite during austenitization in hypoeutectoid steel

The variation of the C concentration in proeutectoid ferrite (αPF) during austenitization in hypoeutectoid steels was quantitatively investigated using the massive transformation start temperature (Tm) of αPF to austenite (γ) measured by high-temperature confocal laser scanning microscopy and hardness of αPF. The C concentration in αPF at Tm in hypoeutectoid steels increased with increasing total C concentration up to approximately 0.2 wt.% during heating. The hardness of αPF with isothermal holding time at 775 °C in S20C steel revealed C enrichment in αPF at the early stage of isothermal holding and its reduction with further holding. These results explain the redistribution of the C in αPF during austenitization as follows: free C atoms released from cementite during pearlite decomposition diffuse excessively into neighboring αPF as well as pearlitic ferrite. The supersaturated C concentration in αPF is reduced during the long-range diffusive transformation of αPF to γ. However, some of the excess C atoms still remain in αPF until αPF starts to massively transform to γ.