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What is an intuitive explanation of the iron-carbon phase diagram?
How does the carbon content of steel affect its microstructure?
The carbon content of steel plays a crucial role in determining its microstructure. At low carbon levels, the steel is mostly made up of alpha iron. As the carbon content increases, so does the amount of Fe3C or cementite in the microstructure, until at around 2% carbon, the steel is mostly made up of Fe3C or cementite.