Time-Temperature-Transformation
(TTT ) Diagram
T (Time) T(Temperature) T(Transformation) diagram is a plot of temperature versus the
logarithm of time for a steel alloy of definite composition. It is used to determine when
transformations begin and end for an isothermal (constant temperature) heat treatment
of a previously austenitized alloy. When austenite is cooled slowly to a temperature
below LCT (Lower Critical Temperature), the structure that is formed is Pearlite. As the
cooling rate increases, the pearlite transformation temperature gets lower.
Figure 1a. TTT Diagram
In Figure 1a the area on the left of the transformation curve represents the austenite
region. Austenite is stable at temperatures above LCT but unstable below LCT. Left
curve indicates the start of a transformation and right curve represents the finish of a
transformation. The area between the two curves indicates the transformation of
austenite to different types of crystal structures. (Austenite to pearlite, austenite to
martensite, austenite to bainite transformation.)
Figure 1b. TTT Diagram and microstructures obtained by different types of
cooling rates
Figure 1c. TTT Diagram and microstructures result
The microstructure of the material is significantly altered as the cooling rate increases.
By heating and cooling a series of samples, the history of the austenite transformation
may be recorded. TTT diagram indicates when a specific transformation starts and ends
and it also shows what percentage of transformation of austenite at a particular
temperature is achieved. Look at figure 1b and 1c.
Figure 2. Upper half of TTT Diagram(Austenite-Pearlite Transformation
Area)
Figure 2 represents the upper half of the TTT diagram. As indicated in Figure 2, when
austenite is cooled to temperatures below LCT, it transforms to other crystal structures
due to its unstable nature. A specific cooling rate may be chosen so that the
transformation of austenite can be 50 %, 100 % etc. If the cooling rate is very slow such
as annealing process, the cooling curve passes through the entire transformation area
and the end product of this the cooling process becomes 100% Pearlite. In other words,
when slow cooling is applied, all the Austenite will transform to Pearlite. If the cooling
curve passes through the middle of the transformation area, the end product is 50 %
Austenite and 50 % Pearlite, which means that at certain cooling rates we can retain part
of the Austenite, without transforming it into Pearlite.
Figure 3. Lower half of TTT Diagram (Austenite-Martensite and Bainite
Transformation Areas)
Figure 3 indicates the types of transformation that can be found at higher cooling rates. If
a cooling rate is very high, the cooling curve will remain on the left hand side of the
Transformation Start curve. In this case all Austenite will transform to Martensite. If there
is no interruption in cooling the end product will be martensite.
Figure 4. Rapid Quench
In Figure 4 the cooling rates A and B indicate two rapid cooling processes. In this case
curve A will cause a higher distortion and a higher internal stresses than the cooling rate
B. The end product of both cooling rates will be martensite. Cooling rate B is also known
as the Critical Cooling Rate, which is represented by a cooling curve that is tangent to
the nose of the TTT diagram. Critical Cooling Rate is defined as the lowest cooling rate
which produces 100% Martensite while minimizing the internal stresses and distortions.
Figure 5. Interrupted
Quench
In Figure 5, a rapid quenching process is interrupted (horizontal line represents the
interruption) by immersing the material in a molten salt bath and soaking at a constant
temperature followed by another cooling process that passes through Bainite region of
TTT diagram. The end product is Bainite, which is not as hard as Martensite. As a result
of cooling rate D; more dimensional stability, less distortion and less internal stresses are
created.
Figure 6. Slow cooling
process (Annealing)
In Figure 6 cooling curve C represents a slow cooling process, such as furnace cooling.
An example for this type of cooling is annealing process where all the Austenite is
allowed to transform to Pearlite as a result of slow cooling.
Figure 7. Cooling rate that
permits both pearlite and martensite formation.
Sometimes the cooling curve may pass through the middle of the Austenite-Pearlite
transformation zone. In Figure 7, cooling curve E indicates a cooling rate which is not
high enough to produce 100% martensite. This can be observed easily by looking at the
TTT diagram. Since the cooling curve E is not tangent to the nose of the transformation
diagram, austenite is transformed to 50% Pearlite (curve E is tangent to 50% curve).
Since curve E leaves the transformation diagram at the Martensite zone, the remaining
50 % of the Austenite will be transformed to Martensite.
