precipitation because the diffusion rate is very slow.

Here the rate of the reaction is controlled

by the rate at which atoms can migrate. The rate of precipitation is also very slow
at temperatures just below the solvus line (point e, Fig. 16.1). In this case, the solution is
only slightly oversaturated and the free-energy decrease resulting from precipitation is
very small. Nucleation is, accordingly, slow, and precipitation is controlled by the rate at
which nuclei can form. The high diffusion rates that exist at these temperatures can do little
if nuclei do not form. At intermediate temperatures, between the two abovementioned
extremes, the precipitation rate increases to a maximum, so that the time to
complete the precipitation is very short. In this range, the combination
include: aluminum, copper, silicon, phosphorus, nickel, and zirconium. Other elements
are found in both the ferrite and the carbides. A number of these elements in the
order of their tendency to form carbides (manganese having the least and titanium the
greatest) are: manganese, chromium, tungsten, molybdenum, vanadium, and titanium.
Most alloying elements in steels tend to increase the resistance of the steel to softening
when it is heated, which means that for a given time and temperature of tempering,
an alloy steel will possess a greater hardness after tempering