Abstract
MARTENSITE is a structure characteristic of quenched steels and consists of an aggregate of very minute needle-shaped crystals. It is a solid solution of carbon in α-iron and is very hard. During tempering at a gradually increasing temperature, the precipitation of the carbon from the solid solution in the form of cementite takes place in two steps at about 170° and 270°, as shown in Fig. 1 by the two stepped changes in the electric resistance—temperature curve, or by similar abnormality in the magnetisation—temperature curve, etc. Since the precipitation or the decomposition of martensite takes place in two steps, it is necessary to distinguish two kinds of martensite, α and β, the former being less stable, and hence more easily attacked by acid, than the latter. By X-ray analysis, Westgren and others have found that the martensite has a body-centred cubic lattice, carbon atoms being present within the interspace of the lattice.
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References
See also the communication to Werkstofftagung, Nov. 31, 1927 (Berlin).
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HONDA, K., SEKITO, S. Two Kinds of Martensite. Nature 121, 744 (1928). https://doi.org/10.1038/121744a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/121744a0
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