Skip to main content
Disciplines
Automotive Business IT + Informatics Construction + Real Estate Electrical Engineering + Electronics Energy + Sustainability Insurance + Risk Finance + Banking Management + Leadership Marketing + Sales Mechanical Engineering + Materials
Events
DE
EN
Books
Journals
Topic Page
Marketing
Start single access now
Access for companies
EXTENDED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Metallography, Microstructure, and Analysis
Published in: Metallography, Microstructure, and Analysis 1/2024

23-01-2024 | Original Research Article

A Hypothesis for the Mechanism that Produces the Utsuri Pattern on Japanese Swords

Authors: Tim Zowada, J. D. Verhoeven

Published in: Metallography, Microstructure, and Analysis | Issue 1/2024

Log in

Activate our intelligent search to find suitable subject content or patents.

search-config
loading …

Abstract

High-quality Japanese swords display a pattern just below the spine called the utsuri pattern. The physical mechanism causing this pattern remains a mystery. An hypothesis is presented here postulating that the pattern is produced by a transition in the microstructure from pearlite to the product microstructure of the divorced eutectoid transformation, DET. Experiments are presented in which such a transition was produced on small blade pieces. It is demonstrated that the contrast on these blades is adequate to produce the utsuri patterns.
previous article Production and Characterization of an Economical 1100 MPa Advanced High-Strength Silicon-Containing Steel
next article Effect of Preheating Temperature on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Friction Stir Welded DMR249A HSLA Steel Joints

Dont have a licence yet? Then find out more about our products and how to get one now:

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

  • über 102.000 Bücher
  • über 537 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

  • Automobil + Motoren
  • Bauwesen + Immobilien
  • Business IT + Informatik
  • Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
  • Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
  • Finance + Banking
  • Management + Führung
  • Marketing + Vertrieb
  • Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe
  • Versicherung + Risiko

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

inform now

Springer Professional "Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

  • über 67.000 Bücher
  • über 390 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

  • Automobil + Motoren
  • Bauwesen + Immobilien
  • Business IT + Informatik
  • Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
  • Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
  • Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe




 

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

inform now
Literature
1.
L. Kapp, H. Kapp, Y. Yoshihara, The Craft of the Japanese Sword (Kondansha, USA, 1987), p. 91
2.
H.C. Sorby, The contribution of Henry Clifton Sorby to the study of reflected light microscopy of iron and steel. J. Iron. Steel. Inst. 1, 140–147 (1886)
3.
H.M. Howe, The Metallurgy of Steel. Eng. Min. J. 46, 131–132 (1888)
4.
K. Hondo, S. Saito, On the formation of spheroidal cementite. J. Iron. Steel. Inst. 102(2), 261–269 (1920)
5.
J.H. Whiteley, Formation of globular pearlite. J. Iron. Steel. Inst. 105, 339–357 (1922)
6.
P. Payson, W.L. Hodapp, J. Leeder, The spheroidization of steel by isothermal transformation. Trans. ASM. 28, 306 (1940)
7.
T. Oyama, O.D. Sherby, J. Wadsworth, B. Walser, Application of the divorced eutectoid transformation to the development of fine grained spheroidized structures in ultrahigh carbon steels. Scripta. Metall. 18, 799–804 (1984)CrossRef
8.
J.D. Verhoeven, E.D. Gibson, The divorced eutectoid transformation in steel. Met. Mat. Trans. A. 29A, 1181–1189 (1998)CrossRef
9.
N.V. Luzginnova, L. Zhao, J. Seitsma, The cementite spheroidization process in high carbon steels with different chromium contents. Met. Mat. Trans A. 39A, 513–521 (2008)CrossRef
10.
A.S. Pandit, H.K.D.H. Bhadishia, Divorced pearlite in steels. Proc. Roy. Soc. A. 10, 1–14 (2012)
11.
T. Zowada, J.D. Verhoeven, A study of the divorced eutectoid transformation, DET, in eutectoid composition plain carbon steel. Metallogr. Microstruct. Anal. 13(1), 1–15 (2024)
12.
G. Krauss, Steels heat treatment and processing principles. ASM. Int. 94 (1980)
Metadata
Title
A Hypothesis for the Mechanism that Produces the Utsuri Pattern on Japanese Swords
Authors
Tim Zowada
J. D. Verhoeven
Publication date
23-01-2024
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Metallography, Microstructure, and Analysis / Issue 1/2024
Print ISSN: 2192-9262
Electronic ISSN: 2192-9270
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s13632-023-01037-y

Other articles of this Issue 1/2024

Metallography, Microstructure, and Analysis 1/2024 Go to the issue

Feature

Dialogue with Emerging Engineers

Original Research Article

Microstructure and Hardness Investigation of Tribaloy Alloy T-400C Hardfacing Deposited on Nickel-Based Alloy Inconel 740H via Plasma Transferred Arc Welding Subjected to Long-Time Aging

Society

Artistic Entries from the 2023 International Metallographic Contest

Editorial

Announcing the Metallography, Microstructure, and Analysis 2023 Editor’s Choice Awards

Original Research Article

A Study of the Divorced Eutectoid Transformation, DET, in Eutectoid Composition Plain Carbon Steel

Original Research Article

Significant Texture Weakening of AZ91 Alloy by Asymmetric Hot Rolling

Premium Partners

    Image Credits