The Effect of Silicon on Hardenability
BY WALTERCRAFTS,*
MEMBERA.I.M.E.,
(Cleveland Meeting, October 1942)
THEprinciple formulated by Grossmannl
for calculating hardenability of steel by
multiplying the ideal diameter of "pure"
iron-carbon alloys by factors for grain size
and alloying elements has been confirmed
on many steels and has proved useful in de-
signing substitute alloy steels. Grossmann
found that the typical behavior of the
multiplying factors was to increase directly
in proportion to the amount of the alloy
present in a steel. However, the multiplying
factor for the effect of silicon on harden-
ability was found by Grossmann to
increase to a lesser degree as the amount of
silicon was increased. I n view of the in-
creasing use of silicon in heat-treating
steels, the effect of silicon on hardenability hardness on the Jominy specimen was
is becoming more important. Calculation of
the hardenability of high-silicon steels
made at the Union Carbide and Carbon
Research Laboratories, Inc., indicated that
the multiplying factor for silicon increased
directly in proportion to the amount of
silicon present. A more extended study of
high-silicon steels covering fairly wide
ranges of grain size, carbon, manganese,
and aluminum has confirmed that up to
z per cent silicon the multiplying factoris
directly proportional to the silicon content.
Manganese and aluminum factors have
also been! determined. The results of the
study offer strong confirmation of the
general validity of Grossmann's multiply-
ing principle.
Manuscript received at the ol the receiving the same thermal cycle as the
Institute Oct. 8, 1942. Issued in METALS Jominy hardenability specimens.
TECHNOLOGY, January 1943.
* Research Metallurgist, Union Carbide and
Carbon Research Laboratories, Inc.. Niagara
Falls. N. Y.
1 References are a t the end of the paper.
AND JOHNL. LAMONT*
TESTINGPROCEDURE
Steels on which the study of the effect of
silicon on hardenability was based were
made in high-frequency induction furnaces
using Armco iron and standard alloying
materials. The ingots were forged to bars,
and sections were normalized prior to
machining Jominy hardenability test speci-
mens. The Jominy test was carried out
under standard c o n d i t i ~ n s .The
~ depth of
hardness penetration for determination of
ideal diameter a t "half hardness" was
taken a t the hardness level indicated in
Fig. 29 in Grossmann's paper by the solid
line for 50 per cent martensite in plain car-
bon steel. The depth of penetration of
converted to ideal diameter by the relation
given in Fig. 28 of Grossmann's paper.
Chemical analysis was determined on a
sample taken adjacent to the Jominy
specimen. Aluminum was determined as
"acid-soluble aluminum" rather than as
total aluminum, as it is probably more
representative of the aluminum that is
effective as an alloying agent. I n addition
to the elements nominally present in the
steels, analyses were made for residual
phosphorus, sulphur, nickel, copper, molyb-
denum and chromium on one heat of those
made with the same materials during the
same period. Actual grain size was deter-
mined by microscopic examination of
small samples quenched in water after
Chemical analyses, heat-treatment, grain
size, and hardenability are shown in Table
I representing three ranges of composition.
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 ,
Chemical Analysis. Per Cent Half Hardness
Heat
No.
--

C
I
M n P I 1 ii Ni 1 1
----

Cu
Cr
Mo
1 1
1
Acid-

cent
Normalizing
Temperature.
Deg. C.
Quenching
Temperature,
Deg. C.
Average
A S.T.M.
~ ; a i nSize
JDo m
g hi ".~ Diargter.
Ideal

C, 0.40--0.55 per cent; Mn, 1.50-1.75; Si,0.20-1.0; Al,

RANGEOF COMPOSITION: >O.IO

C, 0.20-0.30 per cent; Mn, 0.50-1.75; Si,0.20-1.0; Al,

RANGEOF COMPOSITION: <O.IO

0.20 0.83 0.018 0.031 0.64 0.055 ) 0.09 0.006 0.019 0.043
0 . 2 0 ~ 0 . 8 8 / 0 0 1 8 ~ 0 . 0 I~. 01 2/ ~ 0 . 0 5 5 0 . 0 9 ) 0 . 0 0 6 ) 0 . 0 1 9 / 0.051 ( 925
925

P. S, Ni, Cu, Mo, and Cr determined on another steel made during same period.
I 900
900
 WALTER CRAFTS AND JOHN L. LAMONT
The multiplying factor for silicon was
first calculated by Grossmann's method
and with his factors for other alloys, except
aluminum, on the 0.40 to 0.55 per cent
carbon steels of Table I. I n Fig. I are shown
plotted against silicon content the ratios of
ideal diameter established experimentally
to the ideal diameter calculated from
Grossmann's ideal diameter for carbon and
grain size multiplied by his factors for
manganese, phosphorus, sulphur, nickel,
copper, molybdenum, chromium and the
acid-soluble aluminum factor shown in
Fig. 2. The line representing the trend of
individual points is straight and does not
bend to the right as indicated by Gross-
mann. Thus it would appear that the
multiplying factor for the effect of silicon
on hardenability is proportional to the
amount present over the range studied
from 0.20 to 2.0 per cent silicon.
The trend line in Fig. I does not pass
through the multiplying factor of 1.0 a t
zero silicon, as it should do when the incre-
ments of hardenability contributed by all
of the constituents in the steel are included
in the respective multiplying factors.
389
There is also a tendency for high-manganese
steels to be above the line and for low-
manganese steels to be below the line.
These deviations suggested that the multi-
FIG. 2.-MULTIPLYINGFACTOR FOR SOLWLE
ALUMINUM.
plying factor for manganese was not
sufficiently high to represent the increment
of hardenability conferred by manganese.
For this reason, a multiplying factor for
manganese was determined for these steels.
I n calculating the multiplying factor for
manganese, it was assumed that Gross-
mann's values for carbon, grain size,
phosphorus, sulphur, nickel, copper, molyb-
denum and chromium were correct and
that, with appropriate factors for manga-
nese, silicon, and acid-soluble aluminum,
no other constituents affected the harden-
ability. With this assumption, the equation
for calculation of ideal diameter by Gross-
mann's principle is as follows (the multi-
plying function j is the slope of the
multiplying factor line) :
+
[DI(C and grain size)][^ f ( % Mn)]
+ +
[I f ( % Si)1[1 j ( % A1)ltetc.I = DI
Because of the difficulties of calculation
with three unknown factors, the multi-
plying factor for acid-soluble aluminum
3 go THE EPEECT OF SlLICON ON HARDENABILITY

was determined graphically. Factors for multiplying factor for acid-soluble alumi-
manganese and silicon were first determined num was found to agree closely with the
roughly for steels of similar aluminum initially determined value, and is shown in
content. The corresponding multiplying Fig. 2. In the hardenability equation this

% si
MULTIPLYING FACTORS F O R AXANGANESE AND SILICON \-S.SILICON.

factor for ahiminum was then determined
and introduced into the redetermination of
factors for manganese and silicon. These
manganese and silicon factors were then
calculated more accurately and used to
redetermine the aluminum factor. This
factor is represented by the following
expression:
[I + (0.93)(% A1)1
I n Figs. 3 and 4 are shown ratios of ideal
diameter determined experimentally to
 WALTER CRAFTS AND JOHN L. LAMONT
theoretical ideal diameter calculated with-
out manganese and silicon factors. The
ratios, therefore, represent the combined
product of the multiplying factors for
manganese and silicon. Trend lines repre-
% Yn
FIG. 5.-MULTIPLYINGFACTOR FOR MAN-
GANESE. 0.40 TO 0.55 PER CENT CARBON, < 0.10
PER CENT SOLUBLE ALUMINUM STEEL.
0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0
% ul
FIG. 7.-MULTIPLYINGFACTOR FOR MANGA-
NESE. 0.20 TO 0.30 PER CENT CARBON STEEL.
senting close approximation to the points
a t graduated levels of manganese and sili-
con were drawn, and the respective separate
multiplying factors were calculated. I n the
-
hardenability equation these lines may be
represented by the product of the following
expressions for the effects of manganese and
silicon on hardenability:
39I
The lines are not parallel, as they would be
if the multiplying factors were additive,
but fan out a t higher levels of alloy content
because they represent a product of
multiplication.
FIG. 6.-MULTIPLYINGEACTOR FOR MAN-
GANESE. 0.40 TO 0.55 PER CENT CARBON, > 0.10
PER CENT SOLUBLE ALUMINUM STEEL.
FIG.8.-COMPARISON OF MULTIPLYING FACTORS
F O R MANGANESE.
The correlation of the multiplying factor
for hardenability conferred by manganese
alone with the experimentally determined
values is shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. The
points represent the ratio between ideal
diameter determined experimentally and
ideal diameter calculated from Gross-
mann's factors except for t h g acid-soluble
aluminum factor given in Fig. 2 and the
392 T H E E F F E C T O F SILICON ON HARDENABILITY
silicon factor given in Figs. 9 to 11. As
illustrated in Fig. 8, the multiplying factor
determined for manganese on these steels
is slightly higher than that determined by
Grossmann.
% Si
FIG. 9.--MULTIPLYING FACTOR F O R SILICON.
0.40 T O 0.55 PER CENT CARBON, < 0.10 PER CENT
SOLUBLE ALUMINUM STEEL.
FIG. 11.-MULTIPLYINGFACTOR FOR SILICON.
0.20 TO 0.30 PER CENT CARBON STEEL.
The multiplying factor for hardenability
conferred by silicon alone is shown in Figs.
9, 10 and 11. The multiplying factor found
for silicon in these steels is a straight line
from 0.20 to 2.0 per cent silicon and, as
shown in Fig. 12, no confirmation was
found of the tendency reported by Gross-
mann for the factor to increase proportion-
ately less a t higher silicon contents. I t is
also notable that, within the limits of error
in the data, the multiplying factors for both
manganese and silicon appear to pass
through 1.0 a t zero alloy content. Thus it is
apparent that the higher manganese factor
is sufficient topexplain the discrepancies of
Fig. I. From this it would seem that,
beyond the effects of the elements taken
% si
FIG. 10.-~&~ULTIPLYING FACTOR FOR SILICON
0.40 TO 0.55 P E R CENT CARBON, > 0.10 P E R
CENT SOLUBLE ALUMINUM STEEL.
FIG. I 2.-COMPARISON
OP MULTIPLYING PACTOR
FOR SILICON.
into the calculations, there is no other
constituent in the steel that exerts a
material influence on the hardenability.
I n drawing conclusions from this study
of the effect of silicon on hardenability, it
should be noted that the steels tested were
made in the laboratory and that the results
have not been checked against commercial
material. The hardenability was measured
 DISCUSSION
by the depth a t "half hardness" on Jominy
specimens instead of by the direct micro-
scopic examination of quenched bars,
therefore the results may not be directly
comparable with the multiplying factors
determined by Grossmann. With these
limitations the following conclusions have
been reached :
I. Multiplying factors for the harden-
ability conferred by silicon, manganese, and
acid-soluble aluminum have been cleter-
mined and found to be applicable within
the range of 0.20 to 0.55 per cent carbon,
0.50 to 1.75 per cent manganese, 0.20 to
2.0 per cent silicon and u p to 0.40 per cent
acid-soluble aluminum. (No test has been
made of steel with minimum carbon and
manganese and maximum silicon and
aluminum contents.)
2. The multiplying factor for silicon has
been found to increase directly in propor-
tion to the silicon content up to a t least
2 per cent silicon.
3. The steels tested in this investigation
have confirmed the Grossmann principle
of hardenability calculation b y multipli-
cation of factors for each alloy present in
the steel.
I. M. A. Grossmann: Trans. A.I.M.E. (1942)
150, 227.
z. S.A.E. Handbook ( ~ 9 4 2 )315-324,
DISCUSSION
(John S. Marsh presiding)
M. A. GROSSMANN,* Chicago, Ill.-The
writer was glad to have an opportunity to study
the manuscript of this paper, and wishes to
express admiration for the care with which the
experiments were carried out. Needless to say,
we were very pleased to find that the authors
were able to confirm the possibility of evaluat-
ing hardenability by the use of multiplying
factors.
In two respects their values differ somewhat
* Director of Research, Carnegie-Illinois
Steel Corporation.
393
from those obtained in our early tests, and we
have to admit that their values seem to be
reliable.
In the case of manganese, the departure from
our results, while not very great, seems never-
theless to be indicated very definitely by their
data. With silicon, while their results are not
greatly different from ours in the lower range,
the values in the higher ranges, from I to 2 per
cent Si, depart radically from the few data
obtained by us. We are inclined to think that
some elements unknown to us may have in-
validated our earlier factor, especially in view
of the continuous linear relationship which
they show. We are still a t a loss to know why
this simple linear relationship apparently holds
for so many elements, and we look forward to
further work by these authors.
W. CRAFTSAND J. L. LAMONT.-T~~ COm-
ments by Dr. Grossmann are greatly appre-
ciated. No explanation for the difference in
silicon factors is obvious. For manganese i t
is believed probable that the minor difference
was due to drawing the factor line "through the
origin and parallel to the trend" in Grossmann's
Figs. 13 and 14. This is equivalent to addition
rather than multiplication of factors and would
tend to make Grossmann's factor somewhat
lower. I t is, therefore, believed that there is no
real difference between the two manganese
factors that cannot be explained by the method
of calculation.
J. FIELD,Bethlehem, Pa.-Messrs. Crafts
and Lamont have shown that the multiplying
factor for silicon, using the Grossmann system,
increases in direct proportion to increase in
silicon content. This is in contrast to the curve
shown by Grossmann in his original paper. The
writers have also found that the multiplying
factor for manganese is slightly higher than the
values shown by Grossmann.
These new values for silicon and manganese
were based on Jominy tests made on 44 heats
of various silicon and manganese contents
shown in Table I . From these tests, the D I
values were found by noting the distance on the
Jominy curve a t which the 50 per cent marten-
site hardness occurred and converting this
distance into "ideal critical diameter" (Dl)in
accordance with Figs. 28 and 29 of Grossmann's
original paper.l The D I values thus obtained
 394 THE EFFECT O F S I L K (3 N ON HARDENABILITY
were then used for deriving the new curves for
silicon and manganese.
I n reversing this process to recalculate the
D Ivalues, using the new values for silicon and
manganese, I am a t a loss to explain the dis-
crepancy that exists between the calculated
values and the values given in Table I . For
example, I havq selected several heats shown
in Table I and calculated the D Ivalues from
the chemical analysis and grain size, using the
silicon, manganese, and soluble aluminum
factors developed by Crafts and Lamont. The
disagreement between the values thus cal-
culated and the values shown in Table I is
apparent (Table 2 ) .
TABLE2.-Comparison of Calculated Va.lues
with Values of Table I
1 Heat No. 18 Heat No. 24 Heat No. 35
-,I-
1 1 I
-
I
I Table Calcu- Table Calcu
lated 1 lated-
--
Table Calcu-
1 lated
Work t h a t I have done t o date on Jominy
tests varying in silicon content from 0.75 to
3.50 per cent substantiates the proportional
effect for silicon found b y Crafts and Lamont.
There is some evidence, however, based on these
results, that above 2 . 0 0 per cent the curve for
the silicon factor is no longer linear. I have not
as yet determined the exact silicon contetlt at
which the curve ceases to be linear.
I would appreciate the authors' explanation
of these apparent discrepancies.
W. CRAF.J.SAND J. 1,. L A M O N T . - T ~authors
~
are gratified to learn that Mr. Field's tests con-
firm the proportional increase in hardenability
factor with silicon in the ranges up to 2 per cent
Si. I t is to be anticipated thal this linear rela-
tion will be modified by the persistencc of
ferrite and difliculty of obtaining homogeneous
austenite a t higher silicon levels. The devia-
tions from the average that were found in
individual heats may result from error in
analysis, heat-treatment, hardness measure-
ment, grain-size estimation, etc., or from some
deficiency in the Grossmann multiplying princi-
ple for calculating hardenability. I n heats 18
and 35, the deviations from the average are
fairly typical and probably are caused by minor
errors. Heat 24 is further from the average than
most of the other steels, but as it represents
the extremes of the manganese and silicon
ranges studied, it is not possible to conclude
that the deviation is entirely due to an ac-
cumulation of small errors, as i t might be due
in part to a nonlinear tendency of a multiplying
factor. However, over the range of compositions
studied, the typical and even the extreme
deviations from linear proportionality are not
considered to justify any modification of
Grossmann's multiplying principle for the
hardenability factors up to 2 per cent man-
ganese, 2 per cent silicon, and 0.5 per cent
aluminum. Mr. Field's question regarding the
reasonable degree of deviation is appreciated
and emphasizes the need for great care in
establishing a n d utilizing hardenability factors.