ABSTRACT
By controlling the atomic arrangement and the microstructure, some control over all of the physical properties of a metal, particularly mechanical properties, may be exercised. In order to understand how the thermal processes control the atomic arrangement and microstructure, the theoretical base of physical metallurgy is of high importance. Within the frame of thermal processing of steels, this chapter covers kinetics of melting, solidification, phase transformation on heating=cooling, nucleation, diffusion, grain growth, precipitation, vacancy, dislocation, recovery, and recrystallization.
