Supercube grains leading to a strong cube texture and a broad grain size distribution after recrystallization

Abstract

This work revisits the classical subject of recrystallization of cold-rolled copper. Two characterization techniques are combined: three-dimensional X-ray diffraction using synchrotron X-rays, which is used to measure the growth kinetics of individual grains in situ, and electron backscatter diffraction, which is used for statistical analysis of the microstructural evolution. As the most striking result, the strong cube texture after recrystallization is found to be related to a few super large cube grains, which were named supercube grains. These few supercube grains become large due to higher growth rates. However, most other cube grains do not grow preferentially. Because of the few supercube grains, the grain size distribution after recrystallization is broad. Reasons for the higher growth rates of supercube grains are discussed, and are related to the local deformed microstructure.

Keywords:

• copper
• recrystallization
• kinetics
• texture
• three-dimensional X-ray diffraction (3DXRD)
• electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD)

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge beamtime by DESY under proposal number I-20110560 EC. Drs. N. Schell and S.O. Poulsen are gratefully thanked for their help with the 3DXRD investigations.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Danish National Research Foundation [grant number DNRF86-5]; National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 51261130091].