Talk:Beta ferrite

Obsolete[edit]

While the first sentence states that it's an obsolete term, it doesn't state what the proper term is. Moreover, when I learned about beta ferrite in metallurgy class at college 5 years ago they still deemed it beta ferrite, so unless this is a very recent change, I'm not sure it's 100% correct. Wizard191 (talk) 22:24, 25 April 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Quoth Sidney H. Avner (1974) in the citation, "Originally, nonmagnetic α iron was called β iron until subsequent x-ray studies showed no change in lattice structure at 1414°F [768°C]. Since this magnetic transformation does not affect the heat treatment of iron-carbon alloys, it will be disregarded..." Bullens had similar sentiments about the beta phase way back in 1938. More recent authors of metallurgy textbooks, such as George Krauss, W.F. Smith, Robert Reed-Hill and W.D. Callister Jr., do not even mention the beta phase. The proper term, if there is one, is paramagnetic ferrite, nonmagnetic alpha iron, or something along those lines. His Manliness (talk) 22:07, 7 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]