In hyper-eutectoid alloys the additional, brittle cementite on the pearlite grain boundaries further decreases the ductility of the alloy. The proeutectoid cementite restricts plastic deformation to ...
The microstructure is now a ploycrystalline pearlite with the hard-brittle proeutectoid cementite on the grain boundaries. This structure makes the alloy more brittle than the eutectoid pearlite ...