Grain Growth

Grain growth is the process where small crystals within a material, like metal or ceramic, merge and grow larger over time when subjected to heat. During heating, atoms mobilize, causing tiny grains—structure’s building blocks—to fuse and form bigger grains. This increases the average grain size, which can influence the material's strength, toughness, and other properties. Grain growth naturally occurs to reduce the total energy of the system, as larger grains are more thermodynamically stable. Controlling this process is important in manufacturing, as it helps tailor material properties for specific applications.