Based on the hydrostatic transmission principle, a new method for high-throughput characterization via surface microstrain effects after cold isostatic pressing is proposed. Typical key metallic materials (steels, titanium alloys, and superalloys) were processed under a pressure of 190 MPa with a holding time of 30 min, and surface microstrain effects and characteristics of the specimens were explored via white light interference profilometry, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, focused ion beam processing, and transmission electron microscopy. It is shown that all the metallographic polishing specimens exhibit a similar tendency, and two main categories of typical microstrain fields can be detected after CIP processing: (1) slight microstrain and (2) significant microstrain. Significant microstrain with roughening of the surface (roughness increasing) after CIP processing can be detected only in a few microregions. Microregions with weaker micromechanical properties can be characterized and screened in a high-throughput manner through evaluation of the significant microstrains. A new application strategy is proposed for high-throughput characterization of mechanical homogeneity and mechanically weak zones, using the surface microstrain effect during cold isostatic pressing and surface profile analysis. Regions with significant microstrain showed surface roughening (S_q: 6.1 nm→139.7 nm, S_a: 4.8 nm→94.4 nm).

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.