Alloying Element Partition and Growth Kinetics of Proeutectoid Ferrite in Hot-Deformed Fe-0.1C-3Mn-1.5Si Austenite

Alloying element partition and growth kinetics of proeutectoid ferrite in deformed austenite were studied in an Fe-0.1C-3Mn-1.5Si alloy. Very small ferrite particles, less than several microns in size, were formed within the austenite matrix, presumably at twin boundaries as well as at austenite grain boundaries. Scanning transmission electron microscopy–energy-dispersive X-ray (STEM-EDX) analysis revealed that Mn was depleted and Si was enriched in the particles formed at temperatures higher than 943 K (670 °C). These were compared with the calculation of local equilibrium in quaternary alloys, in which the difference in diffusivity between two substitutional alloying elements was assumed to be small compared to the difference from the carbon diffusivity in austenite. Although the growth kinetics were considerably faster than calculated under volume diffusion control, a fine dispersion of ferrite particles was readily obtained in the partition regime due to sluggish growth engendered by diffusion of Mn and Si.