cementite
/səˈmɛntaɪt/
noun
- A hard, brittle compound of iron and carbon (Fe3C) that forms in steel and cast iron.
- Metallurgists study cementite to understand how heat treatment changes metal properties.
- The presence of cementite in steel affects its strength and ductility.
- Cementite gives white cast iron its hardness and brittleness.