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Regensburg 2007 – scientific programme

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MM: Fachverband Metall- und Materialphysik

MM 20: Poster session

MM 20.32: Poster

Tuesday, March 27, 2007, 14:45–18:00, Poster C

Microstructure in Damascus Sabres — •Marianne Reibold1, Peter Paufler1, Dirk Meyer1, Alexander Levin1, and Werner Kochmann21Institut für Strukturphysik, TU Dresden, D-01062 Dresden, Germany — 2Krüllsstrasse 4b, D-06766 Wolfen

Damascus steel is famous for its beauty and excellent mechanical properties. Damascus blades - originating in India - were manufactured from so-called "wootz" steel.

For a better understanding of the ancient technology by analysis of the microstructure of damascene steel, high-resolution electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction are eligible tools. The specimens investigated were taken from a genuine Damascus sabre produced by the blacksmith Assad Ullah in the seventeenth century.

The main results are as follows: Besides ferrite and perlitic cementite, we observed a third form of cementite forming so-called nanowires. These nanowires often arrange in colonies. Preferably, the {010}-lattice planes of the nanowires are oriented along the longitudinal direction. The surrounding of the nanowires often could be idendified as alpha-ferrite.

After dissolution of the sample in hydrochloric acid, carbon-nanotubes became visible. Some remnants showed evidence of incompletely dissolved cementite nanowires, indicating that these wires could have been encapsulated and protected by the carbon nanotubes. [1]

[1] Reibold et al., Nature 444,(2006) 286.

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