Aligned two-phase structures in Fe-C alloys

The application of magnetic fields during the alpha - > gamma inverse transformation in Fe-C alloys develops two-phase microstructures with the paramagnetic gamma phase aligned as chains or columns in the matrix of the ferromagnetic alpha phase along the direction of applied magnetic field. This kind of alignment is induced by the dipolar interactions between the nuclei of gamma phase regarded as magnetic holes in the background of ferromagnetic medium of alpha phase. The application of magnetic fields during the inverse transformation raises the inverse transformation temperature by a rate of 1 deg C/T. The subjects of further study include the kinetics of magnetic alignment and a verification of magnetically aligned two-phase structures during gamma - > alpha transformation. Present study has opened up a possibility of microstructure control of steels with magnetic fields.