Critical Time and Temper Embrittlement Isotherms

The critical time in a nonequilibrium segregation isotherm will induce a critical time in the relative temper embrittlement isotherm, at which when a steel is held, a maximum extent of embrittlement will occur. This suggestion has been confirmed for the nonequilibrium cosegregation to grain boundaries of Ti, Sb and Ni in low carbon NiCr steels and for phosphorus nonequilibrium segregation into grain boundaries in some steels.