Carburisation

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The process of introducing carbon into the surface of iron or steel by heating it in a carbon-rich environment to harden it
2. The treatment in which carbon is absorbed into the outer layer of a metal, typically steel, to increase its hardness and wear resistance
3. Heating a ferrous metal in contact with a carbon source so that carbon diffuses into its surface and strengthens it

Etymology: Carburisation is the British spelling of carburization, and the word is built from two familiar parts. The first is "carburize," which comes from "carbure," a term from chemistry that refers to a compound of carbon, drawn from the element's name in French and Latin. The second is the suffix "-ation," which turns a verb into a noun for the process of doing that verb. Put together, the word names the act of combining something with carbon. In practice, carburisation describes adding carbon to iron or steel to harden its surface. Metalworkers heat the metal in a carbon-rich environment so that carbon atoms diffuse into it, which makes the outer layer tougher and more wear-resistant while the core stays softer. The same idea underlies the carburetor of an engine, which mixes fuel with air, though that word follows a separate path from the metallurgical sense.

Synonyms: carburization, carburizing