Title: JOMINY END-QUENCH TEST

Objective
1) To determine the hardenability of plain carbon and alloy steels using Jominy End-Quench
test.

Introduction
The properties and characteristics of metals and alloy play an important role especially in
manufacturing and industrial world where mass production happen and quality and quantity must
be balanced. The most popular method to enhance the properties of a metal and alloy is heat
treatment. Heat treatment will transform the microstructure, producing a variety of mechanical
properties based on industrial demand such as hardness, strength and ductility.

Hardenability is the ability of the steel to partly or fully transpose from austenite to some
part of martensite at a given depth below the surface when cooled at some condition from high
temperature. A quenching treatment uses this phase transformation to harden steels. The
hardenability of steels refers to the amount of martensite formed during cooling. Tempering the
martensite microstructure gives a good combination of strength and toughness to the steel.
Without tempering process, martensite is hard but brittle. In order to determine the hardenability,
Jominy End-Quench Test is one of the way to do it.

The Jominy end-quench test allows uniform samples of steel to be tested its
hardenability. It involves quenching the steel where the steel is first heated until it reaches
austenite phase and fast cooling on one end as shown in Figure 1 using quench medium such as
water, oil, salt solution or air to produce a martensite microstructure. The hardest part will be at
the end of the steel sample as well as the surface and the hardness of the steel will decrease
towards the center as well as the core.

Figure 1: Quenching the steel on one end

Apparatus
Specimens of plain carbon steel and alloy steel, furnace, Jominy End-Quench unit, and
Vickers Hardness Tester.

Experimental Procedure
1) The specimen is heated until the temperature is 850° C and soaked at the temperature for

20 minutes.

2) The specimen is then taken out of the furnace and placed into the quench unit.

3) The valve is opened to obtain water jet with 63.5mm high.

4) The valve is then closed after the specimen already cooled.

5) A flat surface was grinded along the side of the specimen.

6) Hardness reading was taken for every 3mm from the quenched end for 27mm.

7) Step 1-6 was repeated for second specimen.

Data Collection

Alloy Steel
Distance from end (mm) Hardness (Hv)

0 514.6
3 326.2
6 278.9
9 266.1
12 257.7
15 249.4
18 248.0
21 232.1
24 235.0
27 234.2
Table 1 : Hardness for Alloy Steel

Carbon Steel
Distance from end (mm) Hardness (Hv)

0 394.6
3 249.0
6 247.0
9 232.0
12 211.1
15 216.8
18 211.1
21 216.4
24 216.3
27 215.5
Table 2 : Hardness for Carbon Steel
Graphs

7.1

As shown in Figure 2, we can see that Jominy curve for carbon steel has higher slope than alloy
steel.

Figure 2 : Graph Hardness VS Distance From Quenched End

Discussions
1) As shown in Figure 2, it is seen that the slope for Jominy curve of carbon steel is higher
than alloy steel. The less slope of a curve, the harder the material. Hence, it proves that alloy
steel is harder than carbon steel. Alloy is harder than carbon because martensite can form
easily in alloy steel rather than carbon steel. There are decreasing in hardness before it
become slightly constant for both carbon and alloy. This happened due to the heated steel is
only quenched on one end. The cooling rate is changing along the distance, higher cooling
rate is on one end and getting lower along the distance. Hence, the quenched end of the steel
will be harder than the other end. This also happen to the surface and the core of the steel,
 where the surface is harder than the core because the cooling rate is high at the surface than it
is inside the core.
Theoretically, the value of Hardness (Hv) will decrease along the steel from the quenched
end to the other end. But there are slight increasing value of Hardness (Hv) maybe because of
some error occur during the experiment being held. For instance, when adjusting the line, A
and B in microscope it is not placed correctly. Taking average reading can be done to reduce
the error to happen. Other than that, the surface of the steel that has been grinded is not flat
hence, the reading can be affected. This can be avoided by grinding it properly.

2) According to Figure 2, the hardness is decreasing along the distance from the quenched
end. The quenched end is the hardest due to cooling with higher rate than the other end.
When the steel is heated, it is heated until it reaches austenite phase. Fast cooling can
transform austenite to martensite. Therefore, the quenched end has high value of
Hardness(Hv) because of the percentage of martensite form is higher. The cooling rate
decreases with the increase of the distance from the quenched end. Hence, less martensite
and more pearlite will form.

3) Steel is a combination of iron and carbon. Steel is alloyed with many alloying elements to
enhance its physical properties such as hardenability. When steel is heated to austenite phase,
the alloying elements is uniformly distributed in steel. Upon cooling process, the alloying
elements makes austenite difficult to transform to pearlite, which allows more martensite to
form for a particular cooling rate, resulting a greater hardenability which makes the steel is
capable of getting harder. Most alloying elements can increase steel hardenability but among
the common alloying elements like Manganese (Mn), Chromium (Cr), Nickel (Ni), Silicon
(Si) and Cobalt (Co). Co seems to be the only element that decreases hardenability of steel.

The presence of Co in steel will increase the rate of pearlite growth. Hence, steels
containing Co will transform to pearlite instead of martensite during cooling process. The
alloying elements will be effective in giving enhancement to hardenability only if they form a
homogeneous solution with austenite.
Conclusion
All in all, the hardness of the steel is influenced by the cooling rate where the quenched
end has higher value of hardness than its other end. This is due to the formation of martensite
during cooling process after being heated to austenite phase. More martensite formed at the
quenched end and make it harder, and the hardness will decrease along the distance of the steel
tested. The hardenability of alloy steel is higher than plain carbon steel because of the presence
of alloying elements in alloy steel that allows more martensite to form during cooling process.

Team Working
When the experiment being held, I found team working is going on among us. Each
member did their role nicely and this help the experiment to run smoothly. For example, there
are three person who observe and run the Vickers Hardness Tester to make sure the machine run
correctly and two person take the Hardness (Hv) reading to make sure each member get the same
results. Other than that, we also discuss together the theory behind Jominy End-Quench test and
exchange ideas and opinions.

References
1) Marrow, J. (2019). Understanding The Jominy End-Quench Test. Retrieved from
https://www.industrialheating.com/articles/92224-understanding-the-jominy-end-quench-test
2) Bhargava, A.K. & Banerjee, M.K. (2017). Hardenability of Steel. Retrieved from
https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-803581-8.09186-4