microhardnessn.
/ˈmʌɪkrə(ʊ)ˌhɑːdnᵻs/, U.S. /ˈmaɪkroʊˌhɑrdnəs/ The hardness of a very small or localized area of a material, esp. of an alloy.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > constitution of matter > hardness > [noun] > specific
red hardness1907
indentation hardness1918
microhardness1921
Shore hardness1937
1921 Trans. Amer. Soc. Mech. Engin. 42 1109 If we let κ be the microhardness.
1934 Amer. Mineralogist 19 163 We have undertaken to obtain microhardness values for each of the nine minerals from talc to corundum.
1954 A. R. Bailey Text-bk. Metall. xiii. 457 Micro-hardness testers make it possible to obtain comparative hardness figures for the different constituents of alloys,..and may aid in the identification of constituents and inclusions.
1966 D. G. Brandon Mod. Techniques Metallogr. i. 5 A detectable increase in microhardness can be observed up to 5 μm below the polished surface.
1989 Brit. Jrnl. Orthodontics 16 185/2 Theoretically, up to 15 determinations of microhardness were possible for each subject.
1996 Nature 3 Oct. 401/2 We did the hardness tests, using a Knoop micro-hardness tester (Shimadzu type M).
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2001; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1921