Institute of Metals Division - Contribution of Crystal Structure to the Hardness of Metals (Discussion, p. 1272)

By measuring the hardness of metals at temperatures just above and just below their allotropic change point, it has been established that crystal structure has a real effect upon the strength of metals. The DPH of cobalt, iron, titanium, uranium, and zirconium have been measured at temperatures up to 1000°C. It was found that the body-centered-cubic crystal structure is always the softer structure when it is involved in an allotropic transformation. The close-packed and more complex structures are inherently harder, and may be expected, therefore, to be better base materials for high strength alloys. IT has been observed that for metals with nearly the same melting point (i.e., tin and lead, magnesium and aluminum) the metal with the more complex crystal structure has a higher tensile strength and hardness. It might be asked whether this effect is really caused by the difference in crystal structure; and, if so, just what is the contribution of crystal structure to the strength of these metals. A qualitative answer to these questions can be obtained by measuring the change in hardness produced by the change in structure in metals exhibiting allotropic forms. The evidence for changes in mechanical properties during allotropic transformations is rather meager. In 1909, Rosenhain and Humfrey' observed that "ß" iron showed much less deformation at the transformation temperature than a iron. By means of a torsion test, Lee found that iron bars were "critically plastic" at the a-7 transformation temperature. Sauerwald and Knehans have shown that the dynamic hardness of iron increases between 900" and 1000°C. In 1930, Albert Sauveur' presented data on the hardness, tensile strength, and torsional strength of pui-e iron up to 1000°C. He concluded, "At 900°C, the a iron transforms into y iron, and this is accompanied by increased strength and stiffness and decreased ductility." The same year, Schischokin" obtained data on the hardness of thallium at temperatures above and below its transformation temperature. His data are replotted on semilogarithmic coordinates as Fig. 1. The fact that his data fall on straight lines in this type of plot is believed to attest to the purity of his metal and the accuracy of his results. In 1941, Nadai and Manjoine" obtained tensile data on pure iron with an indicated increase in strength at about 900°C. These experiments make it quite evident that changes in mechanical properties occur when a metal transforms from one crystal structure to another; but, except for Schischokin's data on thallium, none of the measurements seem accurate enough to determine the relative magnitude of the mechanical property change. Materials The metals that have been examined for changes in hardness during transformation include l—as- deposited commercial electrolytic cobalt about 99.7 pct pure, 2—Armco ingot iron, 3—are-melted iodide titanium of a purity in excess of 99.8 pct, 4—uranium of a purity in excess of 99.5 pct, 5—are-melted iodide zirconium of a purity in excess of 99.8 pct, 6—annealed, 0.08 pct C, rimmed steel, and 7—commercially pure RC55 titanium. While the purity of the first five of these materials leaves something to be desired, it will be noted that the observed hardness discontinuities occurred at the accepted transformation temperatures. (These temperatures are indicated by vertical arrows in Figs. 1 and 3 through 7.) The last two materials are commercial alloys introduced to show the effect of minor alloying elements upon the hot hardness curve. Apparatus Hardnesses at elevated temperatures were determined by means of a vacuum hot hardness machine. A diagram showing the basic features of this machine appears as Fig. 2. This machine is essentially a deadweight hardness .machine in a furnace within a vacuum chamber. The sapphire-tipped indentor