A study of the carbon distribution in retained austenite

Cold-rolled and annealed transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) steels were overaged to modify the carbon concentrations (Cγ) in retained austenite. Experimental Cγ values were directly obtained by electron energy loss spectroscopy and compared with data derived from X-ray diffraction measurements of the austenite lattice parameter (aγ). In this way, we evaluated the different expressions available in the literature relating Cγ to aγ.