martensite

[mahr-tn-zahyt]

noun Metallurgy.

a metastable microconstituent of any of various forms of carbon steel, produced by undercooling sufficiently below the normal transformation temperature, especially a hard, brittle product of the decomposition of austenite, produced in this way.

Origin of martensite

1895–1900; named after Adolf Martens (died 1914), German metallurgist; see -ite¹

Related formsmar·ten·sit·ic

[mahr-tn-zit-ik] /ˌmɑr tnˈzɪt ɪk/, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for martensite

Historical Examples of martensite

Below the temperature of the point F the martensite becomes heterogeneous, and forms pearlite.
The Phase Rule and Its Applications
Alexander Findlay

British Dictionary definitions for martensite

martensite

noun

a constituent formed in steels by rapid quenching, consisting of a supersaturated solid solution of carbon in iron. It is formed by the breakdown of austenite when the rate of cooling is large enough to prevent pearlite forming

Derived Formsmartensitic (ˌmɑːtɪnˈzɪtɪk), adjective

Word Origin for martensite

C20: named after Adolf Martens (died 1914), German metallurgist

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