CHAPTER 6

Time Temperature
Transformation
(TTT Diagrams)

Introduction
A plot of Temperature vs Time
Very useful tool
Cooling rate can be determined.
Predict microstructure more accurately.

Other names
IT (Isothermal Transformation)
S curves
C curves

Limitation
Graph must be plot for each different
compositions.
Mean that for different carbon content
must have their own TTT diagram.

Phases Transformation
Phase transformation = the phase
changes due to temperature change.
It is also due to heat treatment such
as quenching, annealing, tempering
and precipitation hardening.
It is important in manufacturing metal
and its alloys to achieve a desired
result such as hardening or softening
of a material.
Also called as isothermal
transformation.

Phases Transformation
There are 2 types of transformation:
1.Diffusion-dependent

transformations

There is no change in either the number

or composition of the phases present.
There is some alteration in phase
compositions and often in the number of
phases present; the final microstructure
ordinarily consists of two phases.
2.Diffusionless

Austenite Transformation

= ferrite
Fe3C = cementite
Possible transformations involving the decomposition of austenite.
Solid arrows = transformations involving diffusion;
Dashed arrow = diffusionless transformation

CEMENTITE
Cementite or iron carbide is a
chemical compound with the formula
Fe3C.
It is a hard, brittle material, normally
classified as a ceramic in its pure
form, though it is more important in
metallurgy.
In carbon steel, it either forms from
austenite during cooling or from
martensite during tempering.

PEARLITE
Pearlite is a two-phased, lamellar (or layered)
structure composed of alternating layers of
ferrite (88 wt%) and cementite (12%) that
occurs in some steels and cast irons.
It forms by a eutectoid reaction as austenite is
slowly cooled below 727C- 540oC.

PEARLITE
Thickness of ferrite and cementite phases
in pearlite depend on heat treatment.
The faster the cooling rate, the finer the
layers.
Fine pearlite if rapidly cooled
Coarse pearlite if slower cooled

BAINITE
A fine non-lamellar structure,
bainite commonly consists of ferrite
and cementite.
It is similar in constitution to
pearlite.
When formed during continuous
cooling, the cooling rate to form
bainite is higher than that required
to form pearlite, but lower than that
to form martensite, in steel of the
same composition.
Bainite is generally stronger but
less ductile than pearlite.

BAINITE
Upper Bainite
Formed from 350 C to
550 C
Cementite in form of rods.

Lower Bainite
Formed from 250 C to
350 C
Low diffusion rates
produce iron carbide
precipitates within ferrite
plates.

MARTENSITE
The martensite is formed
by rapid cooling
(quenching) of austenite
which traps carbon
atoms that do not have
time to diffuse out of the
crystal structure.

Microstructure Determination

Path 1
The specimen is cooled rapidly to 433 K and left
for 20 minutes.
The cooling rate is too rapid for pearlite to form at
higher temperatures; therefore, the steel remains
in the austenitic phase until the Ms temperature is
passed, where martensite begins to form.
Since 433 K is the temperature at which half of
the austenite transforms to martensite, the direct
quench converts 50% of the structure to
martensite.
Holding at 433 K forms only a small quantity of
additional martensite, so the structure can be
assumed to be half martensite and half retained
austenite (50% martensite + 50% austenite).

Path 2
The specimen is held at 523 K for 100
seconds, which is not long enough to
form bainite.
Therefore, the second quench from
523 K to room temperature develops
a martensitic structure (100%
martensite).

Path 3
An isothermal hold at 573 K for 500
seconds produces a half-bainite and
half-austenite structure.
Cooling quickly would result in a final
structure of martensite and bainite
(50% martensite + 50% bainite).

Path 4
Austenite converts completely to fine
pearlite after eight seconds at 873 K
(600oC).
This phase is stable and will not be
changed on holding for 100,000
seconds at 873 K.
The final structure, when cooled, is
fine pearlite.

Lines in TTT Diagram

Two horizontal lines at the top of diagram
represents
Upper transformation temperature (A3 line)
Lower transformation temperature (A1 Line)

Temperature time line

Line follows the path of the temperature of the
steel after quenching begin.

Figure 1
The steel is heated to 870OC at point A.
It is quenched to 320OC at point B and it
takes 10 sec.
Then, it is held at that temperature for 90
seconds until it reaches at point C.
Finally, it is cooled rapidly to room
temperature at point D.

Upper Transformation temperature

A3

A
800
Lower Transformation temperature

600

Time line in TTT

A1 diagram

m
Ti
ine
el

Temperature OC

700

500
400

Room temperature

300
200
100
1

10

102

103

Time in second

104

Figure 1:

105

Figure 2:
Time line A shows a steel that is fast
cooling or fast quenched.
Reached room temperature within 2 sec.

Time line B shows a steel that is cooled

very slowly or slowly quenched
Reached room temperature within 104 sec.

Figure 2:

800

Time line for

Fast cooling
and slow
cooling

600
B
g
e
lin olin
e
m
Co
Ti
ow
Sl

500
400
300
200

e A
e lin
Tim cooling
t
Fas

Temperature OC

700

100
1

10

102

103

Time in second

104

105

Cooling Rate
Cooling rate = T/t
Refer to Fig. 2:
Time line A = (870-27)OC
2s
= 421.5OC/s
Time line B = (870-27)OC
104s

= 0.008 OC/s

C Curves
C curve is used to determine whether a
steel will changed to martensite, ferrite,
pearlite, cementite or some other
structure.
Transformation regions:
The region between the left C curve and the
right C curve is the region of transformation
where the action takes place.
The dotted line show 50% transformation take
place.

There are several regions involved in

transformations depend on the type of
steel.
Austenite (A)
Coarse Pearlite (CP)
Fine Pearlite (FP)
Bainite (B)
Martensite (M)
Proeutectoid ferrite (F)
Proeutectoid cementite (C)

Figure 3:
Phase transformation
in steel

Eutectoid Steel
Figure 4:
A complete TTT
diagram for an iron
carbon alloy of
eutectoid composition:
A= austenite;
B= bainite;
M= martensite;
P= pearlite

Figure 5:
TTT diagram
for 1095 steel

Hypo-eutectoid Steel
Figure 6:
TTT diagram for a
0.45wt% C ironcarbon
alloy:
A= austenite;
B= bainite;
F= proeutectoid ferrite;
M= martensite;
P= pearlite

Hyper-eutectoid Steel
Figure 7:
TTTdiagram for a 1.13
wt% C ironcarbon alloy:
A= austenite;
B= bainite;
C= proeutectoid cementite;
M= martensite;
P= pearlite

Figure 8:
TTT diagram for 4340
steel:
A=austenite;
B= bainite;
P= pearlite;
M= martensite;
F= proeutectoid ferrite.

Rapidly cool from 727oC to 625oC and hold

isothermally.
Figure 9:
TTT diagram for a
eutectoid ironcarbon
alloy. Microstructures
before, during,and after
the austenite-to-pearlite
transformation

Figure 10:

D1
D2
Time line D
C1

C2

B1

Example of
transformation.
Different time
line in TTT
diagram

B2

A1

A2
Time line A

Time line C

Time line B

Transformation of Time Line A

A1 = Austenite begin transform to Martensite
=100% Austenite
A2 = Austenite completed transform to
Martensite
=100% Martensite

Transformation of Time Line B

B1 = Austenite begin transform to Bainite
=100% Austenite
B2 =Austenite completed transform to
Bainite
=100% Bainite

Transformation of Time Line C

C1 = Austenite begin transform to
Fine Pearlite
=100% Austenite
C2 = Austenite completed transform to
Fine Pearlite
=100% Fine Pearlite

Transformation of Time Line D

D1 = Austenite begin transform Coarse
Pearlite
=100% Austenite
D2 = Austenite completed transform to
Coarse Pearlite
=100% Coarse Pearlite

Figure 11:
Time line E in
TTT diagram
E1
E2

E3

E4

E5

Transformation of Time Line E

E1 = Austenite begin transform to Fine Pearlite
= 100% Austenite
E2 = Austenite transform to Fine Pearlite 50%
= 50% Fine Pearlite + 50% Austenite
E3 = No transformation takes place
= 50% Fine Pearlite + 50% Austenite
E4 = Balance Austenite transform to Bainite
= 50% Fine Pearlite + 50% Bainite
E5 = Complete. No transformation takes place
= 50% Fine Pearlite + 50% Bainite

Figure 12:
Time line F in
TTT diagram

F1
F2

F3

F4

F5
F6
F7

Transformation of Time Line F

F1 = Austenite begin transform to Fine Pearlite
=100% Austenite
F2 = Austenite transform to Fine Pearlite 25%
= 25% Fine Pearlite + 75% Austenite
F3 = No transformation takes place
= 25% Fine Pearlite + 75% Austenite
F4 = 25% from balance Austenite transform to
Bainite
= 25% Fine Pearlite + 25% Bainite + 50%
Austenite

F5 = No transformation takes place

= 25% Fine Pearlite + 25% Bainite + 50%
Austenite
F6 = Balance Austenite transform to Martensite
= 25% Fine Pearlite + 25% Bainite + 50%
Martensite
F7 = Transformation completed
= 25% Fine Pearlite + 25% Bainite + 50%
Martensite

Predict Hardness using TTT

Diagram
An exact value of hardness generally cannot be
determined, but a hardness range can be
establish.
The minimum and maximum hardness value can
be picked off
off.
The minimum possible hardness value when a
time line crossed the left C or S curve (begin
Transformation).
The maximum possible hardness value when a
time line crossed the right C or S curve (End
Transformation).

Figure 13:
TTT diagram
for 52100 steel

Mechanical Properties of Fe-C Alloy

Increasing cementite fraction results in harder,

stronger material

Mechanical properties for plain carbon steels having fine pearlite microstructure

Comparison of mechanical properties for plain carbon steels having fine and
coarse pearlite microstructure

Hardness and tensile strength for iron carbon alloy of eutectoid composition
having bainite and pearlite microstructure.

Comparison of hardness value for plain carbon of eutectoid composition having

fine pearlite, martensite and tempered martensite microstructure.

Hardness for Steel

Hardness/Strength

Martensite
Tempered Martensite
Bainite
Fine pearlite
Coarse pearlite

Exercise 1
Calculate the microstructure of a
eutectoid steel that has the following heat
treatment;
a)

b)
c)
d)

Instantly quenched from the region to

o
600 C, Held for 5 seconds and quenched
o
instantly to 350 C.
o
Result from (a) held for 1 day at 350 C and
quench to room temperature.
Result from (a) is quenched rapidly to room
temperature.
Sketch the thermal history.