Padasale, B.Potphode, L.Dsilva, P.C.Hegde, S.R.2026-02-042024Materials Science and Technology (United Kingdom), 2024, 40, 2, pp. 120-1402670836https://doi.org/10.1177/02670836231212617https://idr.nitk.ac.in/handle/123456789/21283The present work investigates the annealing behaviour of prior-coldworked Inconel 718 (IN718) sheets over wide reduction and temperature ranges by performing cold-rolling and isothermal annealing, followed by mechanical testing and structural characterisation. The study reveals that, with increasing annealing temperature, the prior-coldworked alloy shows non-monotonic M-Type variation with double peak-hardening at 0.3T<inf>m</inf> and 0.6T<inf>m</inf>. The study discovers that the first peak is due to the ‘static–strain–aging phenomenon’ that precedes recovery-softening. The second peak-hardening is due to precipitation-hardening, following which, the alloy softens due to recrystallisation. Supported by SEM, electron back-scattered diffraction and X-Ray diffraction results, the investigation suggests that the precipitation of fine rod-shaped δ-phase creates numerous nucleation sites at the shear bands that cause recrystallisation-burst at 0.75T<inf>m</inf>. However, above 0.75T<inf>m</inf> absence of the δ-phase activates grain-boundary migration resulting in rapid grain-coarsening. © The Author(s) 2024.Age hardeningCoarseningCold rollingGrain boundariesIsothermal annealingIsothermsMechanical testingPrecipitation (chemical)% reductionsAnnealing behaviorInconel-718Peak hardeningRecrystallisationStatic recrystallizationStrain ageingThermocalcThermomechanical processingΔ-phaseRecrystallization (metallurgy)