mar·ten·site (mär tn-z t )n. A solid solution of iron and up to one percent of carbon, the chief constituent of hardened carbon tool steels. [After Adolf Martens (1850-1914), German metallurgist.] mar ten·sitic (-z tk) adj. |
martensite [ˈmɑːtɪnˌzaɪt]
n
(Engineering / Metallurgy) 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
[named after Adolf Martens (died 1914), German metallurgist]
martensitic [ˌmɑːtɪnˈzɪtɪk] adj
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  martensite - a solid solution of carbon in alpha-iron that is formed when steel is cooled so rapidly that the change from austenite to pearlite is suppressed; responsible for the hardness of quenched steelquenched steel - steel that has been hardened by immersing it in water or oil to cool it primary solid solution, solid solution - a homogeneous solid that can exist over a range of component chemicals; a constituent of alloys that is formed when atoms of an element are incorporated into the crystals of a metal |
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