Heat treatment of metals (Editorial)

Microstructure design is a key issue in obtaining the target metal’s properties. Hence, it is very important to put in evidence the relations existing between properties and microstructure features in alloys [1–10]. At the same time a key issue is to understand which are the different processes and or heat treatment able to modify them [11–20]. It is well known that the use of heat treatments is one of the most adopted solutions used to metals microstructure and thus obtain or tune the target properties. In particular, it is true for innovative high-performance alloys designed for frontiers applications as nuclear fusion reactors or ferromagnetic components as manufactured by additive manufacturing [21–25]. In fact, almost all metallic alloys respond to heat treatments.: their response is anyway strongly affected by microstructure hence resulting in different behaviors. The identification and development of processes and different analysis methods led to several possibilities for new research fields and practical applications. As an example, the development of additive manufacturing has promoted research efforts on the use of heat treatment methods for as-built alloys or for ultra-fast heat treatments having a strong industrial impact in terms of affordability and reliability. This Special Issue contains contributions on the effect of microstructure of innovative and/or traditional heat treatments on alloys. In addition, the application of quite different methodologies and investigation techniques is strongly desired as the possibility of combining information coming from different investigation methods will lead to different and complementary looks into the relation between properties and microstructure in the different considered alloys (e.g., the influence of the microstructure on mechanical and/or magnetic properties).