Recovery - A low-temperature annealing heat treatment designed to eliminate residual stresses
introduced during deformation without reducing the strength of the cold worked material.
Recrystallization - A medium-temperature annealing heat treatment designed to eliminate all of
the effects of the strain hardening produced during cold working. Nucleation and growth of a
new stress-free microstructure occurs. Recrystallization must be accomplished above the
recrystallization temperature.
Recrystallization temperature - The temperature above which the effects of strain hardening
are eliminated during annealing. The recrystallization temperature is not a constant for a
material but depends on the amount of cold work, the annealing time, and other factors. At this
temperature atomic mobility becomes high enough to allow recrystallization. This temperature
is usually one-third to one half the melting temperature (in degrees Kelvin).
References
1. Van Vlack, Elements of Materials Science and Engineering, Chapter 6
2. Barrett, Nix and Tetelman, The Principles of Engineering Materials
3. ASM Handbook, Vol. 2, Heat Treating and Cleaning of Metals
4. Flinn and Trojan, Engineering Materials and Their Applications, Chapter 3