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By H. E. Elliott, R. S. Busk, A. T. Peters

One of the problems of the fabricator of metals and alloys is the propensity of some composition rarnges toward abnoermal grain growth during certain stages of fabrication. In this respect magnesium alloys are no exception among alloys. Fortunately, convenient foundry control methods have been developed by which the abnormal grain growth possible in certain magnesium-alloy castings can be suppressed. An unusual characteristic of magnesium alloys, however, is that castings of some composition ranges are subject to local grain growth during heat-treatment without the necessity of intentional mechanical stressing of the part prior to heat-treatment. This effect occurs only under certain critical casting conditions, and only in certain alloys of greater than about 8.5 per cent aluminum content, such as C alloy (Mg, 9 per cent A1, 2 Per cent Zn, 0.2 Per cent Mn) and G alloy (Mg, 10 per cent Al, 0.2 per cent Mn). The first observation of this phenomenon in cast magnesium alloys occasioned much surprise, since it is not observed in other meta1s- Jeffries and Archer1 have stated that "the grain size of cast metals, provided they have not been plastically deformed, cannot be changed by heating below the melting point." The study of the conditions leading to abnormal grain growth in cast magnesium alloys, and of the mechanism of this phenomenon, has led to some very interesting observations. Perhaps the most significant of these was the observation that stresses originating from cooling contraction in magnesium-alloy castings are the only stresses necessary, under certain conditions, to cause local recrystallization and subsequent grain growth in the casting during heat-treatment. Before recent developments, this phenomenon of abnormal local grain growth Was a definite problem in the production foundry on C alloy sand castings. Illustrated (Fig. I) is a picture of a casting scrapped because of this defect. A mottled effect is produced in coarse-grained areas by suitable etching solutions. The properties of metal in the affected area are much impaired by such grain coarsening. Ultimate tensile strengths of half the normal value have been measured in metal of this nature. In this paper are described the techniques that have been developed by The DOW Chemical Co. for studying, and in large measure solving, this production problem. Also discussed are studies of the mechanism by which excessive grain coarsening occurs, and the fundamental conditions that produce this effect. The abnormal grain growth discussed in this paper will be referred to as "germinasium since this term has been definedl as any process leading to an abnormally coarse grain size. This paper deals only with abnormal local grain growth that may occur during the solution heat-treatment of certain magnesium-alloy castings, as dis-

Jan 1, 1945

By Archer E. Wheeler, Milo W. Krejci

The Boston & Montana Reduction Works at Great Falls, Mont., was formerly the reduction works of the Boston & Montana Consolidated Copper & Silver Mining Co., and continued as the reduction plant for the independent company until June 1, 1910, when the consolidation of a large number of the operating companies of Butte was effected. It then became merged in the Anaconda Copper Mining Co. as the Boston & Montana Reduction Department of the Anaconda Copper Mining Co. The history of copper converting at this plant, while not covering the entire period of the commercial use of the process in this country, does cover by far the larger part of it, and as the operation of and appliances for the process have undergone many changes during the time, it may, perhaps, be of some interest to put the record of these changes into permanent form. The plan followed in the preparation of this paper has been to give first a brief chronological record of the principal events and changes and then, even at the risk of some repetitions, to give more detaild accounts of some of these changes under separate headings. The headings for the complete paper are as follows: 1. General. Chronological Review. 10. Development of Different Classes 2. Mechanical Manipulation. of Converters After Class I. 3. Casting of Finished Copper. 11. Basic Lining. 4. Tamping of Linings. 12. Number and Size of Tuyeres. 5. Early Acid Linings. 13. Cast Copper Tuyeres. 6. Acid Linings With the Use of Ore. 14. Efficiency of Air. 7. Introduction of Flux Through the 15. Size of Converter Mouth. Tuyeres. 16. Height of Converter. 8. Bottom Blast. 17. Summary. 9. Disposal of Converter Slag, General Chronological Review. Ground was broken for the general concentrating and smelting plant in the spring of 1,891. The first departments to start operations were the concentrator in March, 1892, and the Brückner roasting and reverbera-tory smelting departments in April, 1892. The converter department

Jan 1, 1914

Jan 1, 1929

E. K. Landis, Philadelphia, Pa. (communication to the Secretary) : Mr. Firmstone's paper is of great interest; but he has unfortunately otnitted to state the most important point, viz., the percentage of sulphur in the two materials he compares; and this omission vitiates the conclusions which he draws. Comparing by grade, instead of silicon-contents (as in his Table III.), the iron made using limestone with that made using dolomite, we find for gray-forge the average of four analyses under limestone to be, Si, 0.644; S, 0.089 ; while one analysis under dolomite gives Si, 0.508 ; S, 0.070. For No. 2 iron, the limestone flux gives, as an average of 19 analyses, Si, 1.107; S, 0.051; while the average of 4 analyses made with dolomite flux gives Si, 0.630; S, 0.056. It will be observed, that no No. 1 pig is given under limestone, while 14 analyses appear under dolomite, averaging Si, 0.950 ; S, 0.028. As nothing is said about changed conditions, it is Fair to presume that the ore and fuel, as well as the blast-temperature (which is stated to have been uniform at about 750' F.) remained practically the same; and since the sulphur in the two fluxes is not given, it is impossible to know whether the lower sulphur for equal silicon-contents is due to the use of dolomite or to other conditions. The use of dolomite would produce a more fusible cinder, and the furnace would be hotter than when using limestone; therefore, we might expect to see a grayer iron. The amount of So. 1 iron made with dolomite seems to confirm this supposition; and, under these conditions, we might expect more of the sulphur to be volatilized, and to pass off in the gases. The easier fusibility of the cinder would also permit more rapid driving; and this should reduce the amount of silicon and sulphur in the iron, as the amount of reduced metalloids in the pig is directly proportional to the length of time it remains in the reducing-zone.

Jan 1, 1895

By Dean, R. S.

THE numerous theories of hardening which have been advanced in recent years are all satisfactory in accounting for some of the phenomena observed in hardening metals, but none so far presented account for all of the facts observed. Some years ago one of the authors, R. S. Dean,' presented a theory to account for some of the properties accompanying work hardening. The present paper develops this theory further in the light of recent experimental work and extends it to other forms of hardening. Many of the ideas included have come from the writings and personally communicated thoughts of others. We have attempted to give proper credit in every case, but it is possible that we have not always done so. As an historical basis it is desirable here to review very briefly the hardening theories which have been current. The first comprehensive theory of work-hardening phenomena was due to Sir George Beilby.2 He contributed the idea that with cold work part of the structure of the metal was rendered amorphous and that-it was to this amorphous material that the cold-worked metal owed its difference in properties. According to Beilby's theory this amorphous material was a supercooled liquid and, therefore, had the characteristics of a vitreous material. That such a theory is not capable of explaining the property changes in metals has been repeatedly pointed out. This theory also allowed a slip to take place only once on a given plane, which, as has been pointed out by Jeffries and Archer13 is not consistent with the observed length of an, individual slip and the amount of elongation which can be obtained by wire drawing. The modifications, which have been proposed to this hypothesis to make it coincide with the experimental facts, have to a considerable extent robbed the theory of its clean-cut characteristics. The commonest of these modifications replaces the amorphous phase with an

Jan 1, 1927

By Howard Eavenson

THE low-volatile, or smokeless, coal field of southern West Virginia is in Fayette, Raleigh, Wyoming, Mercer, Summers and McDowell counties, in the extreme southern portion of the state, and extends into the adjacent counties of Tazewell and Buchanan in Virginia. McDowell County is the largest producer, with Fayette and Raleigh counties next. The total area of the field (Fig. 1) is approximately 1600 square miles, or 1,024,000 acres. The percentage of volatile matter in the various seams ranges from 15 to 26 per cent. The upper limit of true low-volatile coal is usually considered to be 23 per cent volatile matter; above this point, the coal usually is classed as medium volatile. This limit will be used in this paper.

Jan 1, 1931

Robert W. Hunt, Chicago, Ill.:—It has been my good fortune to know of this development of Mr. York's for some time, and I think he will permit me to say that this is not the first demonstration that he has made of his method for rolling difficult shapes, and which, as he has stated, had in the past been regarded as practically impossible. I have good reason to know that Mr. York has been successful on other lines, because I myself went through a period of professional disrepute for having reported favorably on his methods, which received discredit up to the time that it was practically demonstrated that his claims were true ones. Years ago Mr. York built a mill at Duluth, Minn., for the production of structural shapes, and notably of what might be called balanced beams—beams that did not have flanges of restricted width. His scheme was to produce beams with flanges so wide that they could be used in place of built-up beams. The mill, of course, went through the difficulties that such a mill would have to encounter. I mas called upon to make an examination of the property and report. These beams were rolled on a universal mill—a mill which would admit of various-sized sections without change of rolls. I was convinced that Mr. York could do it, and I so reported. Having received condemnation and ridicule for having taken that position, later on I was glad to find that Mr. John Fritz had come to the same conclusion, and had so reported. I concluded we both could rest content, while awaiting developments. Later still, as we all know, there was another difficulty that Mr. York met with—namely, that the architects or structural engineers would not accept his proposed sections. That is still a great difficulty in America. Later, the Grey mill came into successful operation in Luxemburg, producing such sections, which are being used in England and on the Continent. In fact, the whole process, both from a commercial and a mechanical point of view, is a success. The Bethlehem Steel Co., Bethlehem, Pa.,

Jan 1, 1907

By David B. Reger

New discoveries of gas in the southern counties featured the petroleum industry in West Virginia during 194;. Drilling for oil increased slightly over 1944 and a small increase of initial production resulted. Out of 28 wildcats drilled, there were 16 gas discoveries and 12 dry holes. No commercial oil was found in the 28 wells.

Jan 1, 1946

By E. S. Davenport, R. J. Hafsten, R. A. Grange

The influence of austenite grain size upon the hardenability of steel is now fairly well understood; for a given austenite, increasing the grain size increases the depth of hardening, and, since the latter is related to the fundamental transformation behavior of austenite, it follows that austenite decomposition must, in general, be retarded by increasing grain size. To date, very little quantitative information bearing directly on the effect of austenite grain size upon the progress and result of isothermal transformation has been published. Davenport and Bain,' and Zimmerman, Aborn and Bain2 have shown that the transformation is definitely relarded in hypereutectoid plain carbon steels at temperatures near and above the upper region of rapid transformation (Ar') when the austenite grains are increased in size. More recently, Griffiths. Pfeil and Allen3 investigated the effect of a series of different heating (austenitizing) temperatures upon the progress of isothermal transformation at 1245°F. (675°C.) and 745ºF. (395°C.) in a medium carbon, low-alloy steel; while they reported no measurements of the austenite grain size, their results suggest that increase in grain size retards austenite transformation at 1245ºF. (675°C), but has no appreciable effect at 745°F (395°C.). The present paper deals with the results of a study of the isothermal transformation of austenite in a single commercial alloy steel in which a fine-grained or a coarsegrained state was induced by appropriate selection of austenitizing temperature. The data are presented in the form of isothermal transformation diagrams, which clearly show that coarsening the grains lessens the rate of transformation of austenite to proeutectoid ferrite and pearlite—that is, at temperature levels above about 1000°F. (540°C.)—but is without significant effect at lower temperatures where the transformation product is bainite or martensite. It is to he presumed that the foregoing statement would be valid, at least in principle, for many other grades of steel; it confirms again that the mechanism of transformation to a pearlitic structure is fundamentally different from that to an acicular structure. A number of related observations were made, which seem to throw some light on the transformation process as it takes place in alloy steels, particularly at temperature levels in the vicinity of 1000ºF. (540°C.), where the transition from lamellar to acicular structures occurs. These data are discussed briefly in the belief that they may lead to a clearer understanding of this aspect of the subject. Material and Experimental Procedure The material investigated was a cornmercial grade of S.A.E. 4140 steel, the composition of which was as follows: 0.37 per cent C, 0.77 per cent Mn, 0.98 per cent Cr and 0.21 per cent Mo. It was hot-rolled to a 1 1/8-in. round bar and normalized by air-cooling from 1800°F. (980°C.).

Jan 1, 1941

By R. J. Hafsten, E. S. Davenport, R. A. Grange

The influence of austenite grain size upon the hardenability of steel is now fairly well understood; for a given austenite, increasing the grain size increases the depth of hardening, and, since the latter is related to the fundamental transformation behavior of austenite, it follows that austenite decomposition must, in general, be retarded by increasing grain size. To date, very little quantitative information bearing directly on the effect of austenite grain size upon the progress and result of isothermal transformation has been published. Davenport and Bain,' and Zimmerman, Aborn and Bain2 have shown that the transformation is definitely relarded in hypereutectoid plain carbon steels at temperatures near and above the upper region of rapid transformation (Ar') when the austenite grains are increased in size. More recently, Griffiths. Pfeil and Allen3 investigated the effect of a series of different heating (austenitizing) temperatures upon the progress of isothermal transformation at 1245°F. (675°C.) and 745ºF. (395°C.) in a medium carbon, low-alloy steel; while they reported no measurements of the austenite grain size, their results suggest that increase in grain size retards austenite transformation at 1245ºF. (675°C), but has no appreciable effect at 745°F (395°C.). The present paper deals with the results of a study of the isothermal transformation of austenite in a single commercial alloy steel in which a fine-grained or a coarsegrained state was induced by appropriate selection of austenitizing temperature. The data are presented in the form of isothermal transformation diagrams, which clearly show that coarsening the grains lessens the rate of transformation of austenite to proeutectoid ferrite and pearlite—that is, at temperature levels above about 1000°F. (540°C.)—but is without significant effect at lower temperatures where the transformation product is bainite or martensite. It is to he presumed that the foregoing statement would be valid, at least in principle, for many other grades of steel; it confirms again that the mechanism of transformation to a pearlitic structure is fundamentally different from that to an acicular structure. A number of related observations were made, which seem to throw some light on the transformation process as it takes place in alloy steels, particularly at temperature levels in the vicinity of 1000ºF. (540°C.), where the transition from lamellar to acicular structures occurs. These data are discussed briefly in the belief that they may lead to a clearer understanding of this aspect of the subject. Material and Experimental Procedure The material investigated was a cornmercial grade of S.A.E. 4140 steel, the composition of which was as follows: 0.37 per cent C, 0.77 per cent Mn, 0.98 per cent Cr and 0.21 per cent Mo. It was hot-rolled to a 1 1/8-in. round bar and normalized by air-cooling from 1800°F. (980°C.).

Jan 1, 1941

THE third annual Joint Western Mining Convention, held at Los Angeles, Sept. 10 to 13 inclusive, was a notable success both as to attendance and interest. Registration the first day amounted to 201, and the total crept up to 347 before the close. The American Institute of Mining Engineers was well represented, approximately 80% of those registered and most of the speakers being members. This illustrates largely the amount of interlocking membership and the reason for holding at one time and place meetings of the several related organizations. The plan has proved so successful that it is probable that Spokane will extend an invitation for next year that seems likely to be accepted. It is proposed that the convention be timed so as to permit visitors from the East to stop there Oct. 3 to 5, en route to the American Institute of Mining Engineers meeting at San Francisco, Oct. 7 to 9. Simultaneously, it is expected that the Petroleum Division will hold its fall session at Los Angeles, the two streams of travel meeting in San Francisco, just before departure of the party of engineers traveling to Japan to attend the World's Engineering Congress. The Los Angeles meeting opened Monday morning with a general session under the auspices of the Western Division of the American Mining Congress with Philip Wiseman in the chair. After a series of short responses to the welcome extended, Charles W. Merrill discussed the needs of the western mining industry. A complimentary luncheon to members and delegates followed.

Jan 1, 1928

By R. J. Wysor

Since the outbreak of the European war, few problems of raw-material supply have commanded more nation-wide attention than potash. It is well known that before the war the domestic production of potash was an insignificant percentage of the imports. The average annual importation of raw potash salts for several years prior to 1914 was slightly over 300,000 net tons, and of other potash manure salts about 700,000 tons. The sudden and almost total cessation of these imports created a unique and stringent situation. Methods of recovering potash from feldspar and other native mineral sources, and reclamation from hitherto waste products, have received a marked impetus. Soaring prices have been a keen incentive to research and industrial development. Although several brief articles concerning the possibilities of potash recovery have appeared in recent trade journals, it still may be a matter of some surprise to the average technical mind that potash might be reclaimed as a profitable byproduct in the manufacture of pig iron. At the present time it may be of special interest to present some data, largely of a technical nature, on this subject. A fairly thorough search of the literature reveals a number of articles concerning salts of the alkali metals in the blast furnace. Many of them deal with the theoretical rôle of alkali cyanides in the furnace. Several discuss the probable effect of the alkalies on the furnace brickwork. Two or three ambitious patents have been granted for reclaiming potash or other products from blast-furnace gas. However, we have heard nothing further as to the practical application of these patents. Little literature of importance has appeared during the last 10 years concerning alkalies in blast-furnace practice, and I have discovered no record whatsoever as to the actual sale or commercial disposal of flue dust for its potash content until this was inaugurated in our plant at Bethlehem. A bibliography of the most important articles discovered is appended. About 4 years ago, in the course of investigating blast-furnace stove efficiencies, I analyzed the fine, yellowish fume of which a considerable

Jan 1, 1917

THE Institute of Metals Division of the A. I. M. E. has joined with the American Society for Steel Treating and the American Welding Society in support of National Metal Week in Philadelphia, Oct. 8 to 12. Individual and joint technical sessions, plant inspection trips, and a general exposition to be held in Commercial Museum have all been arranged. With the coming of the Institute of Metals Division into the circle, the scope of the exposition has been broadened to cover non-ferrous metals, and exhibits of much interest are promised. Headquarters for the Institute of Metals and the American Society for Steel Treating will be at the Benjamin Franklin Hotel, and for the American Welding Society at the Bellevue-Stratford. The American Society for Steel Treating and the Welding Society will hold technical sessions each forenoon at their hotel headquarters. The Institute of Metals Division will hold sessions Tuesday morning and Wednesday and Thursday afternoons; that for Wednesday being a joint session with the American Society for Steel Treating. The latter society will hold independent afternoon sessions on Thursday and Friday. Registration and information desks will be open at the hotels throughout the week, and an attractive program of entertainments has been arranged.

Jan 1, 1928

By J. D. Lubahn

Prior tests by Dorn, where the strain rate in a tensile test was suddenly changed, have shown a small, but definite rate-history effect to exist. If this effect is neglected in the calculation of creep behavior from tensile results, an error should occur. This paper shows that this error is smaller than experimental scattering, and may be neglected. DORN1 has found a small but definite rate-history effect in the aluminum alloy 250 at liquid-nitrogen temperature using tensile tests with an abrupt rate change. Such an effect is to be expected from pre-viously known2-6 temperature-history effects, together with general experience that effects produced by changing the strain rate a large amount are simi-

Jan 1, 1959

Discussion of the paper of E. G. Woodruff, presented at the Butte meeting, August, 1913, and printed in Bulletin No. 78, June, 1913, pp. 1001 to 1010. F. A. LINFORTH, Butte, Mont.:-I have not had an opportunity of reading this paper thoroughly, but I would like to call attention to the possible use of the contours on fault planes. It is obvious that if the contours of fault surfaces call be determined, we will be able to determine the axes of the hollows in the fault surface. It seems probable, and there are examples to point to the accuracy of, the assumption, that the axes of these hollows may be the direction of movements on the faults, and if that is true it will aid materially in locating faulted ore bodies or the shoots of ore on the opposite sides of faults. A few such contour maps of faults have been attempted on some of the faults of the Butte district, and those faults which are believed to have the nearly normal movement exhibit for the axes of these hollows a line nearly up and down in the plane of the fault, but in those cases where the throw is believed to bee nearly horizontal we find that the axes of the hollows are almost horizontal lines. In other words, the movements on faults, I believe, would be more nearly indicated by the larger grooves in the fault surfaces than by the small slickensides and minor hollows that are seen, so that contour maps might be valuable in geology in that way. C. W. GOODALE, Butte, Mont.:-I received a letter from Mr. Woodruff asking me to take part in the discussion of his paper, but I have not had time to give the paper any study. I can certainly add my opinion to that of all the engineers here that the topographic maps of the government are of great aid to the engineer. When I visit a new district, the first thing I do is to see if that district has been covered by the U. S. Geological Survey avid if topographic map has been issued. And I find that some of the younger engineers frequently come into my office to see if I have such maps. I know in some cases the reports made out by engineers contain copies of these topographic maps, or clippings from them. I am sure that. the topographic maps furnished by the government are of very great value to our engineers.

Jan 11, 1913

By Frank Rieber

THE discovery that strongly magnetic bodies localized near the surface of the earth could be detected by the distortion which they produced in the resultant magnetic field marked the beginning of magnetic surveying methods. From an original ability to detect bodies of magnetic iron ore and the like when located very close to the, surface, these methods have been extended until today they promise to give much information with regard to the structure of such slightly magnetic material as sedimentary rock containing only a very small proportion of iron.1 The recent extensions have been made possible through the development of more delicate instruments, and of methods for their use. From the original compass and dip needle, the design of apparatus has progressed until equipment Is typified by magnetic balances capable of measuring the components of the earth's field to an extremely high degree of accuracy. It seems unlikely that the limit of such instrumental development has been reached. Just as the change from compass and dip needle has enabled the location of relatively minor changes in magnetic materials, so additional developments in the direction of increased sensitivity, as well as in greater dependability and constancy of operation, should reveal positively many slight changes which either escape notice in the present surveys or are so small that they cannot with certainty be separated from uncontrollable errors due to inconstant operation of the equipment. The ability to read smaller and smaller variations does not mean, of course, that deductions as to the causes of these variations will be made as accurately and definitely as -is possible with the more pronounced anomalies.

Jan 1, 1928

By J. L. Perry

FOR many years, you and your fellow members of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers have devotedly and ably applied yourselves to the art of making iron and steel. having foremost in your minds the conservation of raw materials, suitable and efficient facilities, economical processes, and improved quality of product. For the past three strenuous years you have contributed wholeheartedly to meeting the problems of increased production. You have conducted scientific and technical investigations and research, recommended experiments. and gathered all the available and valuable information possible to gain the desired objectives. You have had many obstacles and difficulties to overcome. In the early days of your organization, there was some lack of co-operation from the industry itself-perhaps, for example, some failure to recognize the mutual advantages of free exchange of experiences and information. But regardless of any hindrances, you have made many and valuable contribution which have tended to make iron and steel manufacture leas of an art and more of a science.

Jan 1, 1944

Meeting, June 26, 1913).-On the petition of 29 members residing in and near San Francisco, Cal., the San Francisco Local Section was established. The territory of the St. Louis Local Section was established to include the following States and parts thereof: All the State of Missouri ; That part of the State of Illinois south of and including the city of Urbana ; That part of the State of Indiana south of and including the city of Indianapolis ; That. part of the State of Kentucky west of and including the city of Frankfort ; That part Of the State of Tennessee west of and including the city of Nashville That part of the State of Arkansas north of and including the city of Little Rock.

Jan 7, 1913

The program of 'the Chicago meeting, which is to be held Sept. 22-26, is as follows: Monday. Morning-Registration. Afternoon-Technical Session. Evening Smoker. Tuesday. Morning and Afternoon-Excursion by boat to Gary and trip, through United States Steel Co's. plant. Evening-Technical Session. Wednesday. Morning- Technical Session. Afternoon-Technical Session. Evening-Banquet, Congress Hotel. Thursday. Morning and Afternoon-Special train to La Salle and De Pue, Ill., Inspection of Zinc Smelters, Cement Works, and Coal Mines. Trip to Starved Rock and points of historical interest. Evening-Return by train to Chicago. Friday. Morning-Optional trips. 1. East Chicago Metallurgical Plants and Oil Refineries at Whiting, Ind. 2. North Chicago and Milwaukee. 3. Local Chicago Plants. 4. Coal trip to Franklin and McCoupin Counties.

Jan 6, 1919

CONTENTS PAGE Simons, Theodore.-Basic Principles of Gravity Concentration-A Mathematical Study : :.. 1 Taggart, Arthur F. and Gaudin, A. M.-Surface Tension and Adsorption Phenomena in Flotation 11 Hersam, Ernest A.-Factors Controlling the Capacity of Rock Crushers 12 Shaw, S. F.-The Ore Deposits of Sierra Mojada, Coahuila, Mexico 12 Wilson, Philip D.-The British Columbia Batholith and Related Ore Deposits 26 Greensfelder, N. S.-Shot-firing by Electricity 27 Mitke, Chas. A.-Metal Mine Ventilation in the Southwest 28 Foley, F. B. and Howell, S. P.-Neumann Bands as Evidence of Action of Explosives upon Metals 30 Schwartz, H. A., Payne, H. R., Gorton, A. F., and Austin, M. M.-Conditions of Stable Equilibrium in Iron-carbon Alloys 30

Jan 12, 1922