Rail Steel

from $59.95

This micrograph shows steel used in rails for railroad applications in the USA. The rail is a heat treated medium carbon steel typical for this application. The structure of the steel divides itself into multisided shaped grains with some of these grains outlined in the ferrite (white) structure of iron. The dark areas are the structures called bainite and pearlite which are a mixture of the carbide, Fe3C and iron, ferrite structures. This mixture gives the steel its strength and toughness. These structures are stable over time and environmental temperatures giving the steel a long life. The steel can eventually wear down due to the heavy loading of the rail car wheels on the rail surfaces.

Dustin Nolen   Mag. 1000x

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This micrograph shows steel used in rails for railroad applications in the USA. The rail is a heat treated medium carbon steel typical for this application. The structure of the steel divides itself into multisided shaped grains with some of these grains outlined in the ferrite (white) structure of iron. The dark areas are the structures called bainite and pearlite which are a mixture of the carbide, Fe3C and iron, ferrite structures. This mixture gives the steel its strength and toughness. These structures are stable over time and environmental temperatures giving the steel a long life. The steel can eventually wear down due to the heavy loading of the rail car wheels on the rail surfaces.

Dustin Nolen   Mag. 1000x