Hardenability of Steel

Hardenability of Steel

Hardenability of steel is the property that determines the depth and distribution of hardness induced by quenching. Steels that exhibit deep hardness penetration are considered to have high hardenability, while those that exhibit shallow hardness penetration are of low hardenability. Because the primary objective in quenching is to obtain satisfactory hardening to some desired depth, it follows that hardenability is usually the single most important factor in the selection of steel for heat-treated parts. Hardenability should not be confused with hardness as such or with maximum hardness. The maximum attainable hardness of any steel depends solely on carbon content.

Also, the maximum hardness values that can be obtained with small test specimens under the fastest cooling rates of water quenching are nearly always higher than those developed under production heat-treating conditions, because hardenability limitations in quenching larger sizes may result in less than 100% martensite formation.

Basically, the units of hardenability are those of cooling rate, for example, degrees per second. These cooling rates, as related to the continuous-cooling-transformation behavior of the steel, determine the hardness and microstructural outcome of a quench. In practice, these cooling rates are often expressed as a distance, with other factors such as the thermal conductivity of steel and the rate of surface heat removal being held constant. Therefore, the terms Jominy distance and ideal critical diameter can be used.

The hardenability of steel is governed almost entirely by the chemical composition (carbon and alloy content) at the austenitizing temperature and the austenite grain size at the moment of quenching. In some cases, the chemical composition of the austenite may not be the same as that determined by chemical analysis, because some carbide may be undissolved at the austenitizing temperature. Such carbides would be reflected in the chemical analysis, but because the carbides are undissolved in the austenite, neither their carbon nor alloy content can contribute to hardenability.

In addition, by nucleating transformation products, undissolved carbides can actively decrease hardenability. This is especially important in high-carbon (0.50 to 1.10%) and alloy carburizing steels, which may contain excess carbides at the austenitizing temperature. Consequently, such factors as austenitizing temperature, time at temperature, and prior microstructure are sometimes very important variables when determining the basic hardenability of a specific steel composition. Certain ingot casting and hot reduction practices may also develop localized or periodic inhomogeneities within a given heat, further complicating hardenability measurements.

Reference: Hardenability of Carbon and Low-Alloy Steels, From: ASM Handbook Volume 1, Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels, and High-Performance Alloys (ASM International), 1990, pp. 464-484 (21).