Blue Brittleness
blue brittleness
[¦blü ′brid·əl·nəs]Blue Brittleness
in steelmaking, a lowering of plasticity in contraction and elongation with a simultaneous increase of strength; it is observed in low-carbon steels during deformation in the temperature range 200°–300°C (blue temper color) or during subsequent testing at room temperature. Blue brittleness is caused mainly by the interaction of nitrogen atoms with dislocations.