Plastic flow of martensite

Abstract

Iron-carbon martensites containing 0.46; and 0.84% carbon have been compressed at room temperature and found to show an inverse strain-rate effect. This behaviour has been interpreted in terms of stress-induced ordering of carbon atoms. Electron-microscopical studies have shoyvn deformation by wavy slip as well as by twinning, and have revealed the presence of cracks a few microns long in undeformed samples. These cracks. have been shown to account for the low fracture strength and brittleness of inartensite when tested in tension.