Crystallography of grain boundary cementite dendrites

Abstract The crystallography and morphology of proeutectoid grain boundary cementite precipitates were studied in an isothermally transformed Fe-1.3%C-12%Mn steel. Grain boundary cementite precipitates develop with complex variations of a morphology that can be described as fern-like dendrites growing preferentially within and along austenite grain boundaries. The dendritic morphology was made most readily apparent by deep etching specimens of the alloy whose growth had been arrested after relatively short times during the solid state austenite→cementite transformation. Trace analysis revealed that these precipitates usually have no crystallographically preferred primary or secondary dendrite arm growth directions. Electron Backscattered Diffraction pattern analysis showed that most of the grain boundary cementite precipitates approximated one of the known cementite–austenite crystallographic orientation relationships (OR) with at least one of its adjacent austenite grains. Occasionally, the grain boundary cementite exhibited an OR that achieved ‘best fit’ directions between the cementite and austenite in both adjacent austenite grains.