Steel microstructure
= Steel microstructure
<Steel microstructure> describes the spatial arrangement of phases, grains, defects, and precipitates in a steel. Ferrite, austenite, cementite-containing mixtures, and martensitic structures are important examples.
These features influence dislocation motion and fracture, connecting thermal processing with mechanical performance. Overall carbon percentage alone cannot specify a steel's microstructure or uniquely determine its properties.