Neutron diffraction study on full-shape Japanese sword

Harjo, S.; 川崎 卓郎; Grazzi, F.*; 篠原 武尚; 田中 眞奈子*

Materialia, 7, p.100377_1 - 100377_9, 2019/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtla.2019.100377

A mapping measurement using pulsed neutron diffraction with time-of-flight method is performed on a full-shape Japanese sword made in Keicho era (1596-1615) to elucidate the manufacturing process. The obtained diffraction patterns are analyzed by the Rietveld refinement and a line profile analysis. The constituent phases in the area closer to the back of the blade (ridge) are found to be ferrite and cementite, composing pearlite, while the area close to the edge is composed by martensite and austenite. The distributions of constituent phases are well explained with the distributions of dislocation density and crystallite size. The carbon contents and the residual macroscopic stresses are estimated from the obtained phase fractions and lattice parameters.