Annealing
“Annealing, in metallurgy and materials science, is a heat treatment wherein a material is altered, causing changes in its properties such as strength and hardness. It is a process that produces conditions by heating to above the recrystallization temperature and maintaining a suitable temperature, and then cooling. Annealing is used to induce ductility, soften material, relieve internal stresses, refine the structure by making it homogeneous, and improve cold working properties.” (Wikipedia, 10/13/2010, Annealing)
Recent US Patents
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8/10/2010
7,771,493
Process for crystallising amorphous plastic granulates
Busch, Eiden and Schmidt of Treofan (Germany) have prevented sticking of polyester or polylactic acid pellets by soaking in warm water for 30 seconds to induce surface crystallization without degradation. (RDC 10/13/2010)