Cube recrystallization texture - experimental results and modeling

Two recent ideas for understanding and modeling the development of cube rec rystallization texture in rolled and plane strain deformed aluminum and cop per have been tested by experimental studies. The ideas are: (i) the concep t called either 'orientation pinning' or 'variant inhibition'-the inhibitio n of the growth of recrystallized grains by contact with regions in the def ormed material with similar orientation, and (ii) the simple model, alpha(C ) = N-C(d) over bar(R)/lambda(C), for predicting the frequency of recrystal lized cube grains based on nucleation from closely spaced deformed cube ban ds inherited from pre-existing cube grains. lambda(C) is the mean spacing b etween deformed cube bands, (d) over bar(R) is the thickness of the recryst allized grains, both measured in the normal direction, ND, and N-C is the n umber of cube grains per cube band in a linear traverse in ND. Detailed exp erimental results by orientation imaging microscopy have confirmed the impo rtance of orientation pinning in preventing the development of the majority deformation texture components in warm deformed aluminum since here (d) ov er bar(R) > lambda(V), the inter-variant spacing of the rolling texture var iants. In the same material cold rolled to an equivalent strain, retained r olling texture developed since, after cold rolling, (d) over bar(R) < lambd a(V). Direct experiments have also confirmed each of the assumptions underl ying the simple cube frequency model. Comparisons between the very differen t texture results found using only slightly different starting materials in dicate the need for more quantitative experimental and modeling studies on the role of starting microstructure, grain size, shape and texture, on the development of the deformed microstructure, particularly on cube grain stab ility and grain fragmentation. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights re served.