Precipitation of M23C6 Secondary Carbide Particles in Fe-Cr-Mn-C Alloy during Heat Treatment Process

The initial as-cast microstructure of high-chromium white cast iron (2.08% C, 12.1% Cr), including austenitic dendrites in a matrix of a eutectic mixture of austenite and M7C3 carbides. Heat treatment of as-cast iron leads to a transformation of the matrix from austenite to martensite phase. The secondary M23C6 carbide precipitated from matrix improving the hardness of sample from 48 HRC to 62 HRC. JMatPro simulations of volume fraction phase for Fe-C-Cr-Mn alloy shows M7C3 and austenite phases are stable at austenitization temperature (1000 degrees C). Eutectic carbide of M7C3 is a stable phase in the alloy which is undissolved in the matrix during the heat treatment process. The HR-TEM images of heat-treated sample revealed that both eutectic M7C3 carbide and ultrafine secondary M23C6 carbide particles distributed on the martensite matrix.