When the alloy reaches the eutectoid temperature the untransformed austenite undergoes a transformation to pearlite and the already formed cementite remains unchanged. The microstructure is now a ...

Austenite is a solid and, in general, will be polycrystalline. The formation of ferrite and iron carbide will start at the austenite grain boundaries and the final pearlite microstructure will have ...

Both types of reaction occur by nucleation and growth (Fig. 3.14a), and rely on diffusion. Pearlite nuclei occur on austenite grain boundaries, but it is clear that they can also be associated with ...