Cems study of the carbon distribution in austenite

CEMS resolution allows a careful study of Fe−C pure austenite spectra with high carbon content. Three Fe environments are detected which are ascribed to Fe atoms with one carbon first nearest neighbour and zero carbon second nearest neighbour and two environments with no carbon first nearest neighbour but zero carbon second nearest neighbour and one to four carbon second nearest neighbours respectively. This confirms the repulsive interaction between carbon interstitials and the tendency towards Fe₈C ordering is suggested.