austenite

[aw-stuh-nahyt]

noun

Metallurgy.

1. a solid solution of carbon or of carbon and other elements in gamma iron, having a face-centered cubic lattice at all temperatures.

2. an allotrope of iron, stable between 910°C and 1400°C and having a face-centered cubic lattice; gamma iron.

austenite

/ ˌɔːstəˈnɪtɪk, ˈɔːstəˌnaɪt /

noun

1. a solid solution of carbon in face-centred-cubic gamma iron, usually existing above 723°C

2. the gamma phase of iron, stabilized at low temperatures by the addition of such elements as nickel

Other Word Forms

• austenitic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of austenite¹

1900–05; named after Sir W. C. Roberts- Austen (1843–1902), English metallurgist; -ite ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of austenite¹

C20: named after Sir William C. Roberts- Austen (1843–1902), English metallurgist

Example Sentences

Page 65 As the steel is heated above the critical temperature the size of the austenite crystals tends to grow rapidly.

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He is then able to pick out its component minerals, ferrite, austenite, martensite, pearlite, graphite, cementite, and to show how their abundance, shape and arrangement contribute to the strength or weakness of the specimen.

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The growth is continually destroyed by the hammering, which should consequently be continued down to the upper critical temperature when the austenite crystals break up into ferrite and cementite.

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The size of the final grains will be much smaller and hence a more uniform structure will result if the "mother" austenite was also fine grained.

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If a piece of steel could be cooled instantly, doubtless austenite could be preserved and examined.

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