Thermodynamic Calculation of Carbide Precipitate in Niobium Microalloyed Steels

On the basis of regular solution sublattice model, thermodynamic equilibrium of austenite/carbide in Fe-Nb-C ternary system was investigated. The equilibrium volume fraction, chemical driving force of carbide precipitates and molar fraction of niobium and carbon in solution at different temperatures were evaluated respectively. The volume fraction of precipitates increases, molar fraction of niobium dissolved in austenite decreases and molar fraction of carbon increases with decreasing the niobium content. The driving force increases with the decrease of temperature, and then comes to be stable at relatively low temperatures. The predicted ratio of carbon in precipitates is in good agreement with the measured one.