# A New Strategy for the High-Throughput Characterization of Materials’ Mechanical Homogeneity Based on the Effect of Isostatic Pressing on Surface Microstrain

## TL;DR

A new method is proposed to quickly assess the mechanical homogeneity of materials using isostatic pressing effects on surface microstrain.

## Contribution

The paper introduces a novel high-throughput strategy for characterizing material homogeneity via isostatic pressing-induced microstrain analysis.

## Key findings

- Isostatic pressing produces two types of microstrains: surface smoothening and roughening.
- Surface roughening indicates weak-interface damage like plastic deformation and cleavage fracture.
- The method can identify microregions with poor mechanical properties such as cracks and inclusions.

## Abstract

A new strategy for the high-throughput characterization of the mechanical homogeneity of metallurgical materials is proposed. Based on the principle of hydrostatic transmission and the synergistic analysis of the composition, microstructure, defects, and surface profile of the chosen material, the microstrain characteristics and changes in surface roughness after isostatic pressing were analyzed. After isostatic pressing, two types of microstrains were produced: low microstrain (surface smoothening with decreasing roughness) and large microstrain (surface roughening with increasing roughness). Furthermore, the roughness of the roughened microregions could be further classified based on the strain degree. The phenomenon of weak-interface damage with a large microstrain (plastic deformation, cleavage fracture, and tearing near nonmetallic inclusions) indicated that the surface microstrain analysis could be a new method of high-throughput characterization for microregions with relatively poor micromechanical properties. In general, the effect of isostatic pressing on the surface microstrain of heat-resistant steel provides a promising strategy for achieving high-throughput screening and statistically characterizing microregions with poor micromechanical properties, such as microregions containing microcracks, nonmetallic inclusions, pores, and other surface defects.