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Properties of Quenched Steel
Question: Why is quenched steel harder and stiffer than steel that is allowed to cool
by itself? What are the physical processes involved?
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Quenching results in smaller grains than air cooled.
This means more boundaries, which means harder steel.
Martensite (rapidly cooled)has more, but smaller
(slit-shaped) grains than pearlite (slowly
air-cooled), which has larger rounder grains.
Hope this helps
-Wil Lam
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Up-dated: 2002084
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