Precipitation Hardening

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Composition & Alloying

Definition

A heat treatment process that increases the strength of an alloy by forming a fine dispersion of second-phase particles (precipitates) within the metal matrix that impede dislocation movement.

Detailed Explanation

The process involves solution treatment (dissolving alloying elements into a single-phase solid solution), quenching (rapid cooling to retain the supersaturated solution), and aging (reheating to a lower temperature to allow controlled precipitate formation). Aluminum alloys such as 2024 and 7075, titanium alloys, and nickel superalloys all rely on precipitation hardening for their high strength. The size and spacing of precipitates are critical: overaging causes precipitate coarsening and strength loss.