anneal

anneal /an·neal/ (ah-nēl´)

1. to toughen, temper, or soften a material, as a metal, by controlled heating and cooling.

2. in molecular biology, to cause the association or reassociation of single-stranded nucleic acids so that double-stranded molecules are formed, often by heating and cooling.

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anneal

Etymology: AS, aelan, to burn

1 to temper metals, glass, or other materials by controlled heating and cooling to make them more malleable and ductile.

2 to cause the interaction of two separate strands of nucleic acid to form a duplex molecule, often by using a related technique of controlled heating and cooling.

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anneal (anēl´),

n (homogenizing heat treatment, softening heat treatment), the softening of a metal by controlled heating and cooling.

anneal foil,

n a process of subjecting noncohesive foil to heat to volatilize a protective gaseous coating on its surface, thus leaving the surface clean, making it cohesive.

anneal glass,

n a process of regulated heating and subsequent cooling to remove strain hardening or work hardening of glass.

anneal metal,

n a process of regulated heating and subsequent cooling to remove strain hardening or work hardening of metal.