Experimental study of the distribution of alloying elements after the formation of epitaxial ferrite upon cooling in a low-carbon steel

The distributions of carbon and substitutional elements in a low-carbon steel during the formation of epitaxial ferrite on cooling after intercritical annealing have been studied by electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). The analysis has shown that the formation of epitaxial ferrite takes place with a partial redistribution of alloying elements between the epitaxial ferrite and the austenite. This redistribution of alloying elements causes compositional gradients in the epitaxial ferrite that lead to a different etching behaviour with respect to the intercritical ferrite. Contrary to Thermo-Calc predictions, a distinct partitioning behaviour of silicon has been observed.