ferrite

Low-pressure phase diagram of pure iron. BCC is body centered cubic and FCC is face-centered cubic. Iron-carbon eutectic phase diagram, showing various forms of FexCy substances. Iron allotropes, showing the differences in structure. The alpha iron (α-Fe) is a body-centered cubic (BCC) and the gamma iron (γ-Fe) is a face-centered cubic (FCC).

At atmospheric pressure, three allotropic forms of iron exist, depending on temperature: alpha iron (α-Fe, ferrite), gamma iron (γ-Fe, austenite), and delta iron (δ-Fe, similar to alpha iron). At very high pressure, a fourth form exists, epsilon iron (ε-Fe, hexaferrum). Some controversial experimental evidence suggests the existence of a fifth form that is stable at very high pressures and temperatures.