An electron backscattered diffraction technique has been used to investigat
e crystallographic features of a superplastic coarse-grained Fe-27 at% Al a
lloy. Alloy samples studied have been tensile tested in a temperature range
between 600 and 800 degrees C in air under an initial strain rate of 1 x 1
0(-4) s(-1). As a result of dynamic recovery and recrystallization, the gra
in structure undergoes four major transitions: subgrain-boundary formation,
grain-boundary migration, formation and growth of recrystallized grains. A
model based on the microstructural evolution is described. Subgrains form
during an initial stage of high-temperature deformation when deformation is
conducted at low temperature (600 degrees C). Upon further deformation at
700 degrees C, grain boundaries migrate, resulting in the formation of new
grains. When deformation is made further to a larger elongation or at even
higher temperature (800 degrees C), dynamic recovery and recrystallization
occur significantly, resulting in grain refinement and hence superplasticit
y. Refined grains thus formed maintain crystallographic relationships with
parent grains. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.