Metallurgy Interview Question:

What is Iron Ferrite, what is it used for, and where is it found?

Submitted by: Administrator

Well, a few definitions match your question. First, "ferrite" is the name metallurgists give to the body-centered-cubic phase of iron and its alloys. The 'body-centered-cubic' phrase refers to the way the atoms are arranged in the lattice, to distinguish it from "austenite" which is the face-centered-cubic arrangement. Generally, ferrite is a pretty pure iron- the core iron used in electrical transformers, for example, is ferritic-but there are also some stainless steels that are ferritic. These iron-chromium alloys would have 12 to 18% chromium in them, and used for expensive exhaust systems in automobiles, for example. Iron is not found in nature, as are, say, chunks of copper, but must be refined by a blast furnace or other smelting technique.
Submitted by: Administrator