Effect of Heat Treatment on Microstructure and Hardness of Low Carbon Steel
Authors
Manashvi S. Ghagre
B.E. Students, Department of Metallurgical and materials Engineering, [The maharaja Sayajirao university], Baroda, India (IN)
Aayushi J. Rana
B.E. Students, Department of Metallurgical and materials Engineering, [The maharaja Sayajirao university], Baroda, India (IN)
Jignasha Parmar
Assistant Professor, , Department of Metallurgical and materials Engineering, [The maharaja Sayajirao university], Baroda, India (IN)
Dr. Vandana J Rao
Associate Professor, Department of Metallurgical and materials Engineering, [The maharaja Sayajirao university], Baroda, India (IN)
Article Information
DOI: 10.51583/IJLTEMAS.2026.150300066
Subject Category: Heat Treatment
Volume/Issue: 15/3 | Page No: 801-805
Publication Timeline
Submitted: 2026-04-16
Published: 2026-04-16
Abstract
Low carbon steel is widely used in structural and engineering applications due to its excellent formability and weldability; however, its mechanical properties are highly dependent on microstructure. In the present study, the influence of different heat treatment processes on the microstructure and hardness of low carbon steel was investigated. Different heat treatment conditions, namely annealing, normalizing, conventional hardening (water quenching), Neem Bath ,Ice Bath,Salt Bath,brine Bath quenching were applied. Metallographic analysis was carried out using optical microscopy at magnifications of 100× and 500×. The results reveal significant variations in phase distribution, grain size, and morphology due to different cooling rates. Fine pearlitic structures were observed in normalized samples, whereas martensitic structures were dominant in quenched specimens. Hardness values increased with increasing cooling rate, with brine-quenched samples showing maximum hardness. The study establishes a clear correlation between heat treatment, microstructure, and hardness of low carbon steel.
Keywords
Heat treatment, Normalizing, Annealing
This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
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References
1. ASM Handbook, Volume 4: Heat Treating [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
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