CRYOGENIC HARDENING

CONTENTS
Introduction
Process of cryo treatment
Austenitising
Quenching
Cryo treatment
Tempering
Metallurgical aspects
Benefits of the cryogenics
Applications

INTRODUCTION
The word, Cryogenics is taken from two Greek
words kryos which means frost or freezing, and
genic meaning to produce or generated.
Cryogenic hardening is a Cryogenic heat treating
process. Heat treatment is a combination of heating
and cooling applied to a metal or alloy.
Where the material is cooled to approximately -185
c.
Whenever material is subjected to any
manufacturing operation, it is subjected to stresses.

Process of Cryo-Heat-Treatment
.

Austenitising
Austenitization means to heat the iron,
iron-based metal, or steel to a
temperature at which it changes crystal
structure from ferrite to austenite.
During austenitising, the final alloying
element partitioning occurs between the
austenite matrix (that transforms to
martensite on cooling) and the retained
carbides.

Quenching
After Austenitising temperature,the steel is
cooled to ambient temperature rapidly in a
suitable quenching media like water,oil,air.
Once the austenite is cooled below its critical
temperature,it becomes unstable and it starts to
transform in to martensite
After CHT there would always be some
retained austenite in the steel.Which is up to
20-30%.

Cryotreatment
Cryogenic Treatment (CT) of tool materials
consists of three stages
1) cooling of tool material fromroom
temperature, at an extremely slow rate ranging
from0.5 to 1 C/min,
2)Shallow Cryogenic Treatment (SCT) for the
period of -84 C
3) Deep Cryo-genic Treatment (DCT) for the
period of -196 C

Tempering
Tempering is the process of reheating the steel
at predetermined temperatures which is lower
than the transformational temperature
Martensite precipitates fine carbides, which
are named as transition carbides. Nucleation of
these carbides relieves micro-stresses inthe
brittle primary martensite and prevents micro
cracking on surface of the steel

Metallurgical Aspects
Transformation
Martensite

of

Retained

Austenite

to

- After CHT there would always be some

retained austenite in the steel.Which is up to
20-30%.
- The retained austenite as a soft phase in
steels could reduce the product life, it can be
transformed into martensite

Precipitation of Fine - Carbides

Deep cryogenics is due to an enhancement of the
precipitation of fine eta-carbides during the
subsequent temper.
-The strain energy in the martensite lattice increases
at a lower temperature. As a consequence Carbon
atoms migrate and form a clusters.
- During the subsequent heating back to the room
temperature or even a tempering, these clusters
act as nuclei for the formation of the ultra fine etacarbides.

Cryogenic agent
A "cryogenic agent" is an agent (solid, liquid or
gas) that can be used to cool an object to
cryogenic temperatures, namely temperatures
below below 150 C (238 F).

Benefits of Cryogenics
Promotes a more uniform micro-structure
Reduces abrasive and adhesive wear
Permanently changes the structure of the
metal resulting in improved machining
properties
Improved surface finishing
Reduce the cost of tool remanufacture

Applications
Gun barrels: increases the wear life of the barrel and
makes cleaning easier and faster.
Grinding: allows a better cut, less, a better finish, and
less tensile residual induced into the work piece.
Machining: lathes, drill bits, cutting and milling tools
Dental and Surgical Instruments
Engine parts:

Conclusion
Cryogenic hardening is a permanent, nondestructive, non-damaging process, which reduces
abrasive wear , relieves internal stress, minimizes the
micro cracking due to shock forces, lengthens part
life, and increases performance.

References
www.sciencedirect.com/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ScienceDirect
Material science and metallurgy- Kestoor
praveen

THANK YOU