austenite

American  

[aw-stuh-nahyt] / ˈɔ stəˌnaɪt /

noun

Metallurgy.

1. a solid solution of carbon or of carbon and other elements in gamma iron, having a face-centered cubic lattice at all temperatures.

2. an allotrope of iron, stable between 910°C and 1400°C and having a face-centered cubic lattice; gamma iron.

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austenite British  

/ ˌɔːstəˈnɪtɪk, ˈɔːstəˌnaɪt /

noun

1. a solid solution of carbon in face-centred-cubic gamma iron, usually existing above 723°C

2. the gamma phase of iron, stabilized at low temperatures by the addition of such elements as nickel

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Other Word Forms

• austenitic adjective

Etymology

Origin of austenite

1900–05; named after Sir W. C. Roberts- Austen (1843–1902), English metallurgist; -ite ¹

Example Sentences

It represents the complete transformation of the eutectoid austenite accomplished by slow-cooling of an iron-carbon alloy through the transformation range.

From The Working of Steel Annealing, Heat Treating and Hardening of Carbon and Alloy Steel by Colvin, Fred H. (Fred Herbert)

If a piece of steel could be cooled instantly, doubtless austenite could be preserved and examined.

From The Working of Steel Annealing, Heat Treating and Hardening of Carbon and Alloy Steel by Colvin, Fred H. (Fred Herbert)

The growth is continually destroyed by the hammering, which should consequently be continued down to the upper critical temperature when the austenite crystals break up into ferrite and cementite.

From The Working of Steel Annealing, Heat Treating and Hardening of Carbon and Alloy Steel by Colvin, Fred H. (Fred Herbert)

Any of these operations not only allows the transformations from austenite to pearlite to proceed, but also relieves internal stresses in the steel.

From The Working of Steel Annealing, Heat Treating and Hardening of Carbon and Alloy Steel by Colvin, Fred H. (Fred Herbert)

It may be said immediately that above the upper critical the carbon exists in the iron as a "solid solution," called "austenite" by metallographers.

From The Working of Steel Annealing, Heat Treating and Hardening of Carbon and Alloy Steel by Colvin, Fred H. (Fred Herbert)