Quen's quenching method, also known as Quenching and Partitioning (Q&P), is a heat treatment process used primarily in the metallurgy of steel. It involves quenching the steel from an elevated temperature, typically above the austenitic phase transformation temperature, into a quenching medium like water or oil, followed by a partitioning step where the material is held at an intermediate temperature.

During the quenching step, the steel is rapidly cooled to form a supersaturated solid solution. Then, during the partitioning step, carbon atoms diffuse from regions of high concentration (such as martensite) to regions of lower concentration, such as austenite. This leads to the stabilization of retained austenite, which improves the material's mechanical properties such as strength and ductility.

Quenching and partitioning have been found to be effective in producing advanced high-strength steels (AHSS) with a desirable combination of strength and ductility, making them useful in various automotive and structural applications. The method is subject to ongoing research and development to optimize the process parameters and improve material properties further.