martensite

American  

[mahr-tn-zahyt] / ˈmɑr tnˌzaɪt /

noun

Metallurgy.

1. 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.

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martensite British  

/ ˌmɑːtɪnˈzɪtɪk, ˈmɑːtɪnˌzaɪt /

noun

1. 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

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Other Word Forms

• martensitic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of martensite

1895–1900; named after Adolf Martens (died 1914), German metallurgist; see -ite ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

martensite

The structure is then austenite and the air-cooled structure of this steel is martensite.

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

When cooled rapidly, however, as in the tempering of steel, martensite remains a homogeneous solid solution, or hard steel.

From Popular Science Monthly Oct, Nov, Dec, 1915 — Volume 86 by Anonymous

Troostite is of doubtful composition, but possibly is an unstable mixture of untransformed martensite with sorbite.

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

Steel with 0.2 per cent carbon and 15 per cent nickel is entirely martensite.

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

This structure is called martensite and is desired when maximum hardness is essential.

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