For a delightful demo of Curie point of steel see:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=ES&hl=es&v=X8ZHQQUusGo

I wonder, which steel has the highest energy of recalscence, and does
recalescence occur at the Curie point?\

Steel when heated to fully anneal will recalesce (reheat) as it passes
through the temperature at which it hardens, releasing the energy,
falling to a more ordered state, in which it is more highly internally
strained, and therefore harder. I think I got that right. A nail might
do it. A sewing needle definitely will; I've done that. I also ruined
a good awl trying this. Overhardened it, didn't temper it, snapped
the tip clean off.

Same with Curie: disordered magnetic domains reform at the Curie
temperature as a metal cools, and the metal is "suddenly" (not
actually so suddenly, see the video) "a magnet again".

Cheers,


Douglas (Dana) Goncz, CPS
Replikon Research
Seven Corners, VA 22044-0394