air-hardening

[ air-hahr-dn-ing ]

adjective

, Metallurgy.

1. noting any metal, especially alloy steel, that can be hardened from above its transformation point by cooling in air.

air hardening

noun

1. See oil hardening
   a process of hardening high-alloy steels by heating and cooling in a current of air Compare oil hardening

Word History and Origins

Origin of air-hardening¹

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

This alloy, because hardened simply in air, was called “air-hardening” or “self-hardening.”

From Project Gutenberg