noun
- A hard, brittle crystalline structure formed in steel and other alloys when they are cooled rapidly from a high temperature.
Usage: technical; metallurgy
Examples
- The rapid cooling of the steel produced martensite, making it extremely hard.
- Martensite formation is crucial in the heat treatment of tool steels.
- The blade's hardness comes from the martensite structure created during quenching.
- Engineers control martensite content to balance hardness and toughness in alloys.
- When the metal cooled too quickly, excessive martensite made it brittle and prone to cracking.