Recrystallisation of channel die deformed single crystals of typical rolling orientations

The effect of deformation microstructure heterogeneity on recrystallisation behaviour has been studied using channel die deformed single crystals of t ypical f.c.c. rolling texture components. These orientations exhibit a wide range of both spatial and orientational heterogeneity. The likelihood of r ecrystallisation nuclei developing from within the deformed microstructure is found to be directly related to the extent of this heterogeneity. The re crystallisation textures comprise both a retained deformation texture compo nent, as well as a component close, but beyond, to one extreme of the defor mation texture spread. The growth of recrystallised grains, regardless of o rientation, is affected by the degree of heterogeneity of the deformation m icrostructure. For randomly oriented nucleation, and under equivalent annea ling conditions, recrystallisation proceeds two orders of magnitude faster in the lower stored energy homogeneous {110}< 112 > orientation than in the {123}< 634 > orientation, with a much more heterogeneous microstructure an d higher stored energy, even after recovery. (C) 2001 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.