1992 Volume 78 Issue 2 Pages 288-295
Molybdenum is an important alloying element for obtaining steels with improved strength and toughness, therefore the effect of molybdenum on the hardenability of steel are of great interest. However, data of the past researchers are widely dispersed because the effective molybdenum varies with quenching temperature by being fixed as insoluble carbides due to its strong carbide forming tendency.
In this study the effect of insoluble carbide on the hardenability has been quantitatively studied by extracting carbides from steels quenched at various austenitizing temperatures and correcting molybdenum and carbon amount which are effective for hardenability. By eliminating the effect of insoluble carbide, re-evaluation of hardenability with effective carbon and molybdenum yields more reliable hardenability data up to about 2% molybdenum in 0.2% to 0.6%C steels.
