Three phase crystallography and solute distribution analysis during residual austenite decomposition in tempered nanocrystalline bainitic steels

Interphase carbide precipitation due to austenite decomposition was investigated by high resolution transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography in tempered nanostructured bainitic steels. Results showed that cementite () forms by a paraequilibrium transformation mechanism at the bainitic ferrite-austenite interface with a simultaneous three phase crystallographic orientation relationshipsupported by ORNL's Shared Research Equipment (ShaRE) User Facility, which is sponsored by the Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Scientific User Facilities Division, U.S. Department of Energy. The authors also gratefully acknowledge the support of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation for funding this research under the contract MAT2010-15330, respectively.Peer reviewe