<P> In materials science , quenching is the rapid cooling of a workpiece in water , oil or air to obtain certain material properties . A type of heat treating , quenching prevents undesired low - temperature processes , such as phase transformations , from occurring . It does this by reducing the window of time during which these undesired reactions are both thermodynamically favorable , and kinetically accessible ; for instance , quenching can reduce the crystal grain size of both metallic and plastic materials , increasing their hardness . </P>
<P> In materials science , quenching is the rapid cooling of a workpiece in water , oil or air to obtain certain material properties . A type of heat treating , quenching prevents undesired low - temperature processes , such as phase transformations , from occurring . It does this by reducing the window of time during which these undesired reactions are both thermodynamically favorable , and kinetically accessible ; for instance , quenching can reduce the crystal grain size of both metallic and plastic materials , increasing their hardness . </P>
why do you quench a blade in oil
why do you quench a blade in oil
prevents undesired low - temperature processes , such as phase transformations , from occurring
prevents undesired low - temperature processes , such as phase transformations , from occurring