martensiterakenteet

Martensiterakenteet refers to the crystalline structures formed during the rapid cooling of certain alloys, most notably steel. This process, known as martensitic transformation, occurs when the parent austenite phase is cooled so quickly that carbon atoms cannot diffuse out to form carbides. Instead, they become trapped within the body-centered tetragonal (BCT) lattice structure of the martensite. This trapping of carbon leads to significant lattice distortion, creating internal stresses and a very hard, brittle phase. The morphology of martensite can vary depending on the alloy composition and cooling rate, but it is often characterized by acicular or lath-like microstructures. This phase is generally metastable, meaning it can decompose into more stable phases upon heating, a process utilized in tempering to improve toughness. The formation of martensite is crucial in heat treatment processes to achieve high strength and hardness in materials.