Ostwald Growth of Fe₃C and Distributions of Carbon Atoms in α-iron Annealed under a Constant Temperature Gradient

When α-iron specimens are annealed for a long time under a temperature gradient, it is reported that coagulation of Fe3C precipitates occurs at the high temperature side of the specimens. The coagulation process has been explained by the thermal diffusion of carbon under a temperature gradient. In this paper, the authors propose that the Ostwald coarsening of Fe3C precipitate under a temperature gradient cause the Fe3C coagulation.