The Hardening of Metals

Abstract

A VISITOR at the recent meeting of the Faraday Society could scarcely have failed to be struck by the fact that although the society was supposed to be discussing the hardening of metals, in reality the discussion centred almost entirely round the various theories of the hardening of steels. The reason for this was probably twofold. First, in spite of, or perhaps on account of, the considerable amount of research work that has been published on this problem it still remains the most keenly debated topic in metallurgical circles, and one on which widely different opinions have been held. Secondly, from a practical point of view it may be broadly stated that, in regard to hardening, steels are the only alloys that really matter.