Flash annealing enables 1 GPa nanoprecipitate-strengthened "NANOHITEN" ferritic steels.

In this study, we explore the potential roles of flash annealing in the microstructure and mechanical behavior of a cold-rolled "NANOHITEN" ferritic steel. The process produces an ultrafine-grained heterostructured matrix composed of recrystallized/transformed and non-recrystallized/transformed domains, leading to a much higher strength level (1 GPa) without a marked loss in ductility. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]