A hard, brittle iron carbide compound that forms in steel when carbon content is high, appearing as white crystals.
From Latin caementum with mineral suffix -ite. Named by metallurgists because this compound appears to 'cement' iron and carbon together.
Cementite is why cast iron is so hard and brittle—it's full of cementite crystals, but steel has just the right amount to be both strong and flexible, which is why steel is better for tools than pure iron or cast iron.
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