Material Science Quiz - Cutting Tools & Alloys

The property by virtue of which a material can resist scratching or indentation.

The ability of a material to deform under tensile stress without fracturing.

The ability of a material to absorb energy before fracturing.

The ability of a material to resist deformation under stress.

The property of a material to undergo slow, permanent deformation under a constant load over a period.

The failure of a material under repeated loading or cyclic stress.

The ability of a material to absorb energy and then return to its original shape after the load is removed.

The ability of a material to conduct heat.

The process of heating a material to a specific temperature and then cooling it rapidly, typically in water or oil, to increase its hardness.

The process of heating steel to a temperature below the critical temperature and then slowly cooling it, usually in air. This treatment improves ductility and toughness, but reduces hardness.

This heat treatment primarily focuses on reducing internal stresses within a material.

The process of heating hardened steel to a specific temperature below the eutectoid point and then cooling it slowly to reduce its brittleness and improve its toughness.

A heat treatment process that involves heating steel to a temperature just below the eutectoid point, causing the formation of spherical carbides, which improves ductility and machinability.

This type of heat treatment involves introducing carbon atoms into the surface of steel, making it harder and more resistant to wear.

Heating a metal above the critical temperature and then slowly cooling it. This process helps in removing internal stresses and improving ductility.

The temperature at which austenite forms in steel.

The difference between annealing and normalizing lies in the cooling rate. Annealing involves slow cooling, while normalizing uses air cooling, which results in a faster cooling rate.

A type of furnace used for heat treatment processes, particularly for electrical resistance heating.

A quenching medium that involves submerging the heated steel in water, leading to a rapid cooling rate.

A heat treatment process often applied to low-carbon steels to improve their machinability. It involves heating the steel to a specific temperature and then slowly cooling it down.

The transformation of austenite into martensite during rapid cooling. This process is essential in hardening steel.

A heat treatment process that involves heating a cold-worked metal to a specific temperature to relieve internal stresses and improve its ductility and toughness.

A ferrous metal is a type of metal that contains iron as its primary component. Examples include steel and cast iron. Ferrous metals are generally strong, but also somewhat brittle due to the presence of carbon in their structure. This makes them vulnerable to cracking and breaking, especially at high temperatures.

Polymers are large molecules made up of repeating structural units called monomers. These materials are often lightweight and can be flexible or rigid, depending on their molecular structure. Their diverse properties make them suitable for a wide range of applications, including plastics, textiles, and adhesives.

Stainless steels are alloys known for their exceptional resistance to corrosion and oxidation. This property makes them ideal for applications where exposure to harsh environments is a concern, such as in kitchen utensils, medical instruments, and industrial equipment.

Amorphous materials lack a regular, repeating arrangement of atoms, giving them unique properties like transparency and variable, shapeless form. Common examples include glass, which is made from silica, and amorphous plastics.

Alloys are mixtures of two or more metals, sometimes with other components like non-metals, that combine the unique properties of each constituent element. This tailoring of properties makes alloys extremely versatile, allowing for a wide range of strengths, corrosion resistance, and other desired characteristics.

Refractory materials are engineered to withstand extremely high temperatures without melting or degrading. Their primary application is in furnaces and ovens, where they provide insulation and a stable structure for high-temperature processes. Common examples include bricks, fibers, and coatings.

Austenite, a solid solution of carbon in iron, can accommodate a maximum of 2.11% carbon by weight. This high solubility is a key factor in the heat treatment of steels, as it allows for the formation of various microstructures with different properties.

Ferrite, also known as alpha-iron, has a body-centered cubic (BCC) crystal structure. This arrangement is responsible for its magnetic properties, making it a key component in magnetic materials. It is also relatively ductile and tough, contributing to the overall properties of iron-based alloys.

A type of alloy steel that is specifically designed for high-performance cutting tools, primarily for machining operations. It typically incorporates various alloying elements to enhance its hardness, wear resistance, and overall tool life.

A type of alloy steel designed for applications where high strength and toughness are crucial. It usually incorporates higher amounts of carbon and other alloying elements to achieve the required mechanical properties.

A type of alloy steel that possesses superior strength and resistance to deformation, enabling it to be used for applications requiring high strength under tension, like machinery components, bridges, and high-rise buildings.

A type of alloy steel that is commonly used for cutting tools, especially those used for cold working, such as shaping or forming metal parts. Its specific composition and heat treatment help ensure good cutting performance and edge retention.

This alloying element enhances the strength and toughness of steel. The increased percentage of vanadium contributes to improved wear resistance and heat resistance, making the steel suitable for demanding cutting tool applications. (note: this is not a definition of steel, but explains vanadium more in depth).

The temperature at which a metal begins to recrystallize after being cold worked.

A microstructure that forms during austempering, characterized by a needle-like structure.

A major advantage of austempering over conventional quenching and tempering. It reduces distortion in the metal, making it more precise.

A range of temperatures used in austempering. The steel is rapidly cooled to these temperatures to achieve a bainitic structure.

The ability to withstand large stresses without significantly altering the material's mechanical properties or microstructure.