Influence of strong surface decarbutization on the hardenability
Surface decarburization is a loss of carbon in the skin of the material. Favoring factors are high temperatures and larger quantities of oxygen in the atmosphere. Characteristics for a surface decarburization are increased amounts of ferrite, reduction of the amount of carbides, other transformation microstructure or also lamellar pearlite at spheroidised hypereutectoid steels. Decarburization has a negative influence on the hardenability in this area. The following example has been carried out at a sample out of 1.1213 (Cf53).
