The structure of Fe-C eutectic alloy obtained by the interaction of diamond with low-carbon steel.

The structure, elemental and phase composition of Fe-C eutectic alloy obtained by the contact interaction of diamond with low-carbon steel in vacuum were studied. Cylindrical tablets of low carbon steel containing not more than 0.1 % wt. C and natural diamond crystals were used as a contact pairs. Diamond crystals in the form of a pyramids were mounted by their flat base on the horizontal surface of steel tablet. Contact samples were sintered under load in a vacuum furnace at a maximum heating temperature of ∼1165 °C. Sintered diamond-metal tablet contact pairs were studied by optical and scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis. It was determined that the Fe-C eutectic melt forms in the diamond-metal tablet contact zone, a thin layer of which, when solidified, welds a diamond crystal to the metal tablet under the specified in the experiment temperature-time heating mode. It was shown that the Fe-C eutectic alloy is a gray cast iron with a ferrite-perlite metal base and a plate graphite inclusions. The microhardness of the solidified Fe-C eutectic was ∼1714 MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]