ISSN: 1546-962X
CODEN: JAIOAD
Published Online: 12 October 2011
Page Count: 38

Use of Vegetable Oils and Animal Oils as Steel Quenchants: A Historical Review—1850-2010

Simencio Otero, Rosa L.
Universidade de São Paulo, Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos,

Canale, Lauralice C. F.
Universidade de São Paulo, Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos,

Totten, George E.
Universidade de São Paulo, Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos,

(Received 1 November 2010; accepted 30 August 2011)

Abstract

Vegetable oils and animal oils have been used as quenchants for metals for thousands of years; however, it hasn’t been until relatively recently that their cooling properties have been studied in a thorough, quantitative manner. This review will focus on the published data relating to the use of triglycerides from various animal and vegetable sources to quench-harden steels. Particular focus will be on the traditional selection and use of different vegetable and animal oils for steel hardening applications and the cooling time-temperature behavior of these fluids to characterize their quenching performance. This information has not been previously reviewed in this manner.

Keywords:
quenchants, vegetable oils, animal oils, oxidative stability, cooling curves, hardening

Paper ID: JAI103534
DOI: 10.1520/JAI103534
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