Review on the effect of heat treatment on microstructure and mechanical properties of metal alloys

There is a high need for parts with well-balanced mechanical properties in industries. This is achieved through the use of various heat treatment processes. The adjustment of heat treatment parameters can lead to a diversity of microstructures. The heat treatment parameters of cooling, such as furnace, air, oil, and water cooling, as well as the soaking time, play important roles in determining the characteristics of microstructures obtained. The importance of these parameters is underscored by the fact that the mechanical properties of metals and their alloys, such as strength and ductility, are dependent on their microstructures. This paper presents a review of the effects of annealing, normalizing, high-temperature annealing, and solution and aging heat treatments on the microstructures and mechanical properties of Ti6Al4V, high-strength steels, and aluminum alloys. It is clear from this study that annealing coarsens the microstructural features, reduces hardness and strength, and increases ductility and machinability of all three different alloys considered here, while normalizing refines their microstructures and improves strength, while ductility is reduced. Evidently, heat treatment processes play an important role in the microstructure and mechanical properties of the three alloys. Therefore, structural parts with well-balanced mechanical properties needed in various industries can be achieved through the application of these heat treatment processes.