work hardening

Work hardening, also known as strain hardening, is a process where a metal becomes stronger and more durable through repeated deformation. When metal is bent, hammered, or stretched, its internal structure changes, causing the atoms to rearrange and create more dislocations. These dislocations interfere with each other, making further deformation more difficult. As a result, the metal's strength and hardness increase, but its ductility (ability to stretch without breaking) decrease. Work hardening is often used intentionally in metalworking to improve material properties for various applications.