Experiment 2

Effects of heat treatment on carbon steel

microstructure and properties.
Purpose: Understand the effect of cooling rates and reheating on microstructure and
properties of carbon steel.

We will use carbon steel. The four steel samples will be austenitized at 880o C for 35 minutes.
Two samples will then be cooled in two manners. The first will be a slow air cooling, which
should result in a sample experiencing approximately equilibrium cooling.
The two remaining samples will be quenched in water resulting in a sample with non-equilibrium
cooling. Then, one of each group samples will then be reheated to a temperature that will allow
limited diffusion for 35 minutes as in table below.

Samples Stainless steel

Heat to 800o C
1 Quench in H2O
(35 minutes)
Heat to 800o C
Quench in H2O
2
Reheat to 350 C
o

(35 minutes)
Heat to 800o C
3
Cool slowly
Heat to 800o C
Cool slowly
4 Reheat to 350 C
o

(35 minutes)

- Take hardness measurements using Rockwell C and/or Rockwell B scales. Take at

least 3 measurements on each sample and average the values. Compare the hardness property
the steel at after all heat treatments and explain the results.

- Grind and polish all samples and use the appropriated solution to reveal the
microstructure. Comment on the microstructures in your lab report.