gehärtet

Gehärtet is the past participle of härten and is used in German to describe a material that has undergone a hardening process to increase hardness, wear resistance, and sometimes strength. The term is common in technical contexts such as metallurgy, materials engineering, and manufacturing, and it can refer to different treatment routes depending on the material.

In metals, especially steel, gehärtet refers to hardening through heat treatment. The typical process involves heating the metal to a high temperature to form austenite, followed by quenching in oil or water to produce a hard, brittle martensitic structure. To balance hardness and toughness, the part is often tempered in a subsequent step. There are also surface-hardening methods, such as induction hardening, carburizing, or nitriding, which create a very hard outer layer while keeping a tougher core.

In glass, gehärtetes Glas denotes tempered glass. This is produced by heating the glass and then rapidly cooling it to create surface compressive stresses. The result is higher bending strength and better thermal resistance. If broken, tempered glass fragments into small, blunt pieces rather than large, sharp shards.

In polymers, gehärtet can describe materials that have been cured or cross-linked, such as thermosets (for example certain epoxy resins). The curing or cross-linking reaction increases rigidity and heat resistance, often making the material more dimensionally stable and chemically resistant.

Overall, gehärtet characterizes a state achieved through processes designed to enhance hardness and durability, with the specific implications varying by material type.