Allotropes of iron

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Main article: Iron

Low-pressure phase diagram of pure iron. BCC is body centered cubic and FCC is face centered cubic.

Iron-carbon eutectic phase diagram, showing various forms of FexCy substances.

 Iron allotropes, showing the differences in lattice structure. The alpha iron (α) is a body-centered cubic (BCC)
and the gamma iron (γ) is a face-centered cubic (FCC).

Iron represents perhaps the best-known example for allotropy in a metal. At atmospheric pressure,
there are three allotropic forms of iron: alpha iron (α) a.k.a. ferrite, gamma iron (γ) a.k.a. austenite,
and delta iron (δ). At very high pressure, a fourth form exists, called epsilon iron (ε) hexaferrum.
Some controversial experimental evidence exists for another high-pressure form that is stable at
very high pressures and temperatures.[1]
The phases of iron at atmospheric pressure are important because of the differences in solubility
of carbon, forming different types of steel. The high-pressure phases of iron are important as models
for the solid parts of planetary cores. The inner core of the Earth is generally assumed to consist
essentially of a crystalline iron-nickel alloy with ε structure.[2][3][4] The outer core surrounding the solid
inner core is believed to be composed of liquid iron mixed with nickel and trace amounts of lighter
elements.

Contents
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 1Standard pressure allotropes

o 1.1Delta iron (δ-Fe)
o 1.2Gamma iron / Austenite(γ-Fe)
o 1.3Beta iron (β-Fe)
o 1.4Alpha iron / Ferrite (α-Fe)
 2High pressure allotropes
o 2.1Epsilon iron / Hexaferrum (ε-Fe)
o 2.2Experimental high temperature and pressure
 3See also
 4References

Standard pressure allotropes[edit]

Delta iron (δ-Fe)[edit]
As molten iron cools down, it solidifies at 1,595 °C (2,800 °F) into its δ allotrope, which has a body-
centered cubic(BCC) crystal structure.[5] δ-iron can dissolve as much as 0.09% of carbon by mass at
1,493 °C.
Gamma iron / Austenite(γ-Fe)[edit]
Main article: Austenite
As the iron cools further to 1,394 °C its crystal structure changes to a face centered cubic (FCC)
crystalline structure. In this form it is called gamma iron (γ-Fe) or Austenite. γ-iron can dissolve
considerably more carbon (as much as 2.04% by mass at 1,146 °C). This γ form of carbon
saturation is exhibited in stainless steel.
Beta iron (β-Fe)[edit]
Main article: beta iron
Beta ferrite (β-Fe) and beta iron (β-iron) are obsolete terms for the paramagnetic form of ferrite (α-
Fe).[6][7] The primary phase of low-carbon or mild steel and most cast irons at room temperature
is ferromagnetic ferrite (α-Fe). As iron or ferritic steel is heated above the critical
temperature A2 or Curie temperature of 771 °C (1044K or 1420 °F),[8] the random thermal agitation of
the atoms exceeds the oriented magnetic moment of the unpaired electron spins in the 3d
shell.[9] The A2 forms the low-temperature boundary of the beta iron field in the phase diagram in
Figure 1. Beta ferrite is crystallographically identical to alpha ferrite, except for magnetic
domains and the expanded body-centered cubic lattice parameter as a function of temperature, and
is therefore of only minor importance in steel heat treating. For this reason, the beta "phase" is not
usually considered a distinct phase but merely the high-temperature end of the alpha phase field.
Alpha iron / Ferrite (α-Fe)[edit]
Main article: Ferrite (iron)
At 912 °C (1,674 °F) the crystal structure again becomes BCC as α-iron is formed. The substance
assumes a paramagnetic property. α-iron can dissolve only a small concentration of carbon (no
more than 0.021% by mass at 910 °C).
At 770 °C (1,418 °F), the Curie point (TC), the iron is a fairly soft metal and becomes ferromagnetic.
As the iron passes through the Curie temperature there is no change in crystalline structure, but
there is a change in the magnetic properties as the magnetic domains become aligned. This is the
stable form of iron at room temperature.

High pressure allotropes[edit]

Epsilon iron / Hexaferrum (ε-Fe)[edit]
Main article: Hexaferrum
At pressures above approximately 10 GPa and temperatures of a few hundred kelvin or less, α-iron
changes into a hexagonal close-packed (hcp) structure, which is also known as ε-iron or
hexaferrum;[10] the higher-temperature γ-phase also changes into ε-iron, but does so at a higher
pressure. Antiferromagnetism in alloys of epsilon-Fe with Mn, Os and Ru has been observed.[11]
Experimental high temperature and pressure[edit]
An alternate stable form, if it exists, may appear at pressures of at least 50 GPa and temperatures of
at least 1,500 K; it has been thought to have an orthorhombic or a double hcp structure.[1] as of
December 2011, recent and ongoing experiments are being conducted on high-pressure
and Superdense carbon allotropes.