Recrystallization is a process by which deformed
grains are replaced by a new set of undeformed grains that
nucleate and grow until the original grains have been entirely consumed. Recrystallization is usually accompanied by a reduction in the
strength and
hardness of a material and a simultaneous increase in the
ductility. Thus, the process may be introduced as a deliberate step in metals processing or may be an undesirable byproduct of another processing step. The most important industrial uses are the softening of
metals previously hardened by
cold work, which have lost their ductility, and the control of the grain structure in the final product.