Gamma Iron (Noun)
Meaning
A nonmagnetic allotrope of iron that is the basis of austenite; stable between 906 and 1403 degrees centigrade.
Classification
Nouns denoting substances.
Examples
- Gamma iron is formed by heating iron to temperatures between 906 and 1403 degrees centigrade, above its Curie point.
- At temperatures above 1403 degrees centigrade, gamma iron transforms into delta iron, a different allotrope of iron.
- Gamma iron has a face-centered cubic crystal structure, which is different from the body-centered cubic structure of alpha iron.
- Austenite, a type of steel alloy, is composed primarily of gamma iron, which is stable at high temperatures.
- Gamma iron is of significant interest to materials scientists due to its unique properties and phase transitions at high temperatures.