Simulations of deformation and recrystallization of single crystals of aluminium containing hard particles

The deformation of a single crystal of aluminium in the Goss orientation [0 11](100) containing a coarse particle of silicon was modelled by using a fi nite-element (FE) code based on the crystal plasticity approach. The simula tions clearly captured the heterogeneous deformation of the aluminium matri x, resulting in a region of high deformation in the vicinity of the hard pa rticle, surrounded by a region where the amount of deformation was signific antly lower. The evolution of the corresponding deformation substructure du ring annealing was simulated using a Monte Carlo technique. The simulations clearly demonstrated the discontinuous evolution of the subgrains in the d eformation zone to form recrystallization nuclei around the hard particle, and the subsequent growth of these nuclei to consume the matrix region arou nd the particle. For plane strain compression up to epsilon(zz) = -0.4 that was used in this study, the deformation texture components near the partic le consisted of rotations up to 20 degrees from the initial Goss orientatio n about the transverse direction. Recrystallization simulations captured th e formation and growth of nuclei from the deformation heterogeneities exist ing near the hard particle and predicted a significant strengthening of the orientations present in the particle deformation zone. The simulation resu lts are shown to capture many of the experimentally observed features of de formation and recrystallization textures in aluminium single crystals conta ining coarse particles of silicon.