Does Work Hardening Create Smaller Crystal Grains?

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SUMMARY

Work hardening, also known as cold working, significantly influences the microstructure of metals by creating numerous dislocation lines rather than directly reducing crystal grain size. This process increases the strength of the material through the tangling of dislocations, which enhances the material's overall properties. Vintage cymbals exemplify this phenomenon, as their unique sound is attributed to decades of work hardening from repeated strikes.

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  • Understanding of metallurgical principles, specifically work hardening.
  • Familiarity with dislocation theory in materials science.
  • Knowledge of crystal structure and grain boundaries in metals.
  • Basic concepts of material strength and mechanical properties.
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  • Research the mechanisms of work hardening in metals.
  • Explore the relationship between dislocation density and material strength.
  • Investigate the effects of cold working on different metal alloys.
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Materials scientists, metallurgists, and engineers interested in the mechanical properties of metals and the effects of work hardening on material performance.

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This might be more of a simple engineering question, but does work hardening (cold worked) of say a metal create smaller, more numerous crystal grains (and thus, more grain boundaries)? or does it just create dislocations in the crystal?
 
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That's a good question. My understanding is that work hardening creates numerous dislocation lines, which over the course of treatment tangle and have the effect of increasing the strength of the material

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work_hardening

Supposedly, vintage cymbals have a "special sound" from work hardening- caused by being struck for 30+ years.
 

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