cementite

American  

[si-men-tahyt] / sɪˈmɛn taɪt /

noun

Metallurgy.

1. an iron carbide, Fe 3 C, a constituent of steel and cast iron, sometimes with part of its iron replaced by another metal, as manganese.

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cementite British  

/ sɪˈmɛntaɪt /

noun

1. the hard brittle compound of iron and carbon that forms in carbon steels and some cast irons. Formula: Fe 3 C

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Etymology

Origin of cementite

First recorded in 1885–90; cement + -ite ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cementite

Chromium when alloyed with steel, has the characteristic function of opposing the disintegration and reconstruction of cementite.

From The Working of Steel Annealing, Heat Treating and Hardening of Carbon and Alloy Steel by Colvin, Fred H. (Fred Herbert)

From this combination, we are able to get a very strong ferrite matrix and a very hard tough cementite.

From The Working of Steel Annealing, Heat Treating and Hardening of Carbon and Alloy Steel by Colvin, Fred H. (Fred Herbert)

As more and more carbon is contained in the alloy—for steel is a true alloy—it begins to appear as graphite, and its properties counteract the remaining brittle cementite.

From The Working of Steel Annealing, Heat Treating and Hardening of Carbon and Alloy Steel by Colvin, Fred H. (Fred Herbert)

Apparently the quick cooling prevents the normal change back to definite and sizeable crystals of ferrite and cementite.

From The Working of Steel Annealing, Heat Treating and Hardening of Carbon and Alloy Steel by Colvin, Fred H. (Fred Herbert)

Where poor machining conditions in heat-treated steels are present they are generally due to incomplete solution of cementite rather than bands of free ferrite, as in the case of case-hardening steels.

From The Working of Steel Annealing, Heat Treating and Hardening of Carbon and Alloy Steel by Colvin, Fred H. (Fred Herbert)