Mixed Diffusion–Controlled Growth of Pearlite in Binary Steel

A kinetic theory for the diffusion–controlled growth of pearlite is presented, which accounts simultaneously for diffusion through the austenite and via the transformation front. The simplified method abandons the need for mechanical equilibrium at the phase junctions and yet is able to explain experimental data on the growth rate of pearlite. Furthermore, unlike previous analyses, the deduced value for the activation energy for the interfacial diffusion of carbon is found to be realistic when compared with corresponding data for volume diffusion.