Cryogenic Cooling Effect on the Change in the Microstructure of Metals

VOLOKITINA I.E., ZHUMANAZAROVA G.M., and GELMANOVA Z.S.

Karaganda Industrial University, Republic Ave., 30, 101400 Temirtau, Kazakhstan

Received / final version: 24.12.2025 / 24.05.2026 Download PDF logo PDF

Abstract
The study of cryogenic treatment of metals has been the subject of a large number of scientific publications; therefore, the preparation of a review article aimed at summarising the current state of knowledge and identifying directions for future research is highly relevant. Although there are several reviews on the cryogenic treatment of tool steels, to date, there has been no comprehensive review addressing the effect of cryogenic treatment on changes in the microstructure of metals. Therefore, in addition, the influence of individual processing parameters, their sequence, and the effect of stabilisation at room temperature on microstructure evolution are examined here in detail. Cryogenic processing of materials is known to enhance properties such as hardness, strength, wear resistance, tensile strength, dimensional stability, corrosion resistance, etc. However, the extent of property improvement for cryogenically treated materials reported in the literature is diverse and, in some cases, contradictory. In the present study, an attempt is made to provide a comprehensive review of various scientific publications available in the literature on this topic.

Keywords: microstructure of metals, metals processing, cooling, cryogenic treatment.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15407/ufm.27.02.***

Citation: I.E. Volokitina, G.M. Zhumanazarova, and Z.S. Gelmanova, Cryogenic Cooling Effect on the Change in the Microstructure of Metals, Progress in Physics of Metals, 27, No. 2: ***–*** (2026)


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