The generic terms for these intermediate structures is bainite, after Edgar Bain who with Davenport first found these structures during their pioneering systematic studies of the isothermal ...

Pearlite and bainite can also have their cementite morphology changed to this spheroidite structure by tempering, but the process requires a longer time.

However, at high temperatures the ausferrite microconstituent— the structure primarily responsible for ADI’s desirable properties—transforms into bainite, resulting in less favorable properties.

To achieve this, the steel must be quenched at a rate sufficiently rapid to avoid the decomposition of austenite during cooling to such products as ferrite, pearlite and bainite. The effectiveness of ...