Papers - Classification of Alpha Iron-nitrogen and Alpha Iron-carbon as Age-hardening Alloys (With Discussion)

The object of this chapter is to present data concerning the effect of the introduction of relatively slight amounts of carbon and nitrogen into supersaturated solution in iron. The study is confined to the alpha temperature range of both the Fe-C and Fe-N systems. The age-hardening characteristics of these two systems are considered. These data are compared to those of other age-hardening alloy systems and a "classification" is essayed. A.—Relation of Lattice Parameter and Electrical Conductivity to Changes in Physical Properties Due to Aging of Fe-C Alloys Since Whiteleyl in 1927 showed that some of the iron carbide that is normally present in slowly cooled low carbon-iron alloys disappears on rapid cooling from just below the A, point, interest has been manifested in the possibilities of age-hardening in these alloys. Masing and Koch,~ and at the same time and independently, W. Koster,~ proved these alloys to be age-hardenable. A. A. Bates4 a little later also published an interesting paper on changes in physical properties due to the aging of low-carbon steels. Many other papers have appeared showing changes in physical properties in specific instances due to this same phenomenon.