Blue Brittleness

blue brittleness

[¦blü ′brid·əl·nəs]

(metallurgy)

Loss of ductility noted for some steels when heated to 400-600°F (204-316°C), the blue heat range.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Blue Brittleness

 

in steelmaking, a lowering of plasticity in contraction and elongation with a simultaneous increase of strength; it is observed in low-carbon steels during deformation in the temperature range 200°–300°C (blue temper color) or during subsequent testing at room temperature. Blue brittleness is caused mainly by the interaction of nitrogen atoms with dislocations.

The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.