Hadfield steel carbide network dissolution

A targeted solution annealing process followed by rapid quenching in manganese cast alloys to completely dissolve brittle primary carbides in the austenitic matrix and establish macro-level toughness properties.

Manganese hard steel often has a brittle structure after casting because carbides form at the grain boundaries. You break this up by solution annealing: heat the part in a protected furnace until the carbides dissolve back into the austenite. Then you have to quench it quickly, otherwise the carbides precipitate again and the material becomes brittle again.

MetallurgieSchweißtechnik