Question

Diff bw proeutectoid alpha and eutectoid ferrite

Answer 1

They’re both ferrite, and they’re both the same crystal structure. Where they differ is their locations in the microstructures of low carbon steels.

Since for eutectoid ferrite the carbon amount is right at the eutectoid composition, all of the γ" role="presentation" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; display: inline; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 14px; text-indent: 0px; text-align: left; text-transform: none; letter-spacing: normal; word-spacing: normal; word-wrap: normal; white-space: nowrap; float: none; direction: ltr; max-width: none; max-height: none; min-width: 0px; min-height: 0px; border: 0px; position: relative;">γγ-austenite transforms to pearlite. This is a lamellar mixture of ferrite and cementite.

In contrast, during cooling of hypoeutectoid steels the α" role="presentation" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; display: inline; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 14px; text-indent: 0px; text-align: left; text-transform: none; letter-spacing: normal; word-spacing: normal; word-wrap: normal; white-space: nowrap; float: none; direction: ltr; max-width: none; max-height: none; min-width: 0px; min-height: 0px; border: 0px; position: relative;">αα-ferrite + γ" role="presentation" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; display: inline; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 14px; text-indent: 0px; text-align: left; text-transform: none; letter-spacing: normal; word-spacing: normal; word-wrap: normal; white-space: nowrap; float: none; direction: ltr; max-width: none; max-height: none; min-width: 0px; min-height: 0px; border: 0px; position: relative;">γγ-austenite phase field is encountered before arriving at the α" role="presentation" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; display: inline; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 14px; text-indent: 0px; text-align: left; text-transform: none; letter-spacing: normal; word-spacing: normal; word-wrap: normal; white-space: nowrap; float: none; direction: ltr; max-width: none; max-height: none; min-width: 0px; min-height: 0px; border: 0px; position: relative;">αα-ferrite + cementite field (that is, pearlite). Therefore, discrete chunks of α" role="presentation" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; display: inline; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 14px; text-indent: 0px; text-align: left; text-transform: none; letter-spacing: normal; word-spacing: normal; word-wrap: normal; white-space: nowrap; float: none; direction: ltr; max-width: none; max-height: none; min-width: 0px; min-height: 0px; border: 0px; position: relative;">αα-ferrite nucleate along the austenite grain boundaries; this is known as proeutectoid ferrite, and it develops before the remaining γ" role="presentation" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; display: inline; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 14px; text-indent: 0px; text-align: left; text-transform: none; letter-spacing: normal; word-spacing: normal; word-wrap: normal; white-space: nowrap; float: none; direction: ltr; max-width: none; max-height: none; min-width: 0px; min-height: 0px; border: 0px; position: relative;">γγ-austenite transforms to pearlite.

Thus, the major difference between the microstructures of these two materials is eutectoid steel ends up with just pearlite whereas hypoeutectoid steel contains proeutectoid ferrite interspersed within the pearlite. Hence, proeutectoid ferrite exists as a standalone phase, but eutectoid ferrite is subsumed within pearlite (the other constituent of which is cementite).