A metastable phase diagram for the dynamic transformation of austenite at temperatures above the Ae3

Abstract

Abstract A method is proposed for calculation of the pseudobinary phase diagram associated with the dynamic transformation of austenite to ferrite. Here the driving force is taken as the difference between the austenite flow stress at the moment of initiation and the yield stress of the fresh Widmanstätten ferrite that takes its place. The energy opposing the transformation consists of the Gibbs energy difference between austenite and ferrite at temperatures above the Ae3 and the work of accommodating the shear displacements and dilatation associated with the phase change. A metastable phase diagram is calculated for a 0.30 wt.% Mn-0.01 wt.% Si steel by balancing the driving force against the three obstacles. The results show that, under dynamic conditions, the ferrite phase field extends all the way from room temperature to that for the formation of delta ferrite.