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Name: Tim
Status: N/A
Age: N/A
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 2001
Question:
Why is quenched steel harder and stiffer than steel that is allowed to cool by itself? What are the physical processes involved?


Replies:
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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