ANOTHER VISIT TO THE 3 DEFINITIONS OF BAINITE

Seventeen years ago it was proposed that much of the confusion which then enveloped the bainite reaction - and still does - derives from the circumstance that three different definitions of bainite were simultaneously in use. These three definitions are: (a) the generalized microstructural definition; (b) the overall reaction kinetics definition; and (c) the surface relief definition. Each of these definitions was shown to be centered about a distinctly different set of phase transformations phenomena. In this presentation, the definitions will be briefly summarized and clear conflicts among them will again be demonstrated. The individual definitions will then be discussed in more detail, emphasizing experimental evidence and new understanding developed since the previous review was prepared.