Role of Metallic Alloy Interatomic Chemical Reactions with Structure Formation during Heat Treatment

A new approach to explaining structure formation processes in alloys during heat treatment is suggested, which differs essentially from the traditional one. Experimental proof of the hypothesis that processes occurring in alloys during heat treatment develop due to interatomic chemical bonds (ionic and covalent) existing at condensed state temperatures is provided. This means that at each heating temperature alloy acquires a microstructure differing from that formed at other temperatures with respect to composition or size of precipitating particles. This makes quenching from the range of disordered solid solutions a superfluous operation, especially in the light of the fact that such solutions do not exist in nature. It is recommended to exclude quenching from the production process, which should limited solely to tempering.