Texture development during recrystallization of aluminium containing large particles

The recrystallization process in heavily deformed commercially pure aluminium containing large intermetallic particles was studied by in situ neutron diffraction texture measurements and various microscopical techniques including texture measurements in local areas and simultaneous determination of size and orientation of individual grains.

The formation and growth of recrystallization nuclei at the particles and in the matrix were examined by correlating the measured change in texture to the observed change in microstructure. It was found that prolific nucleation of grains having a wide spread of orientations takes place close to larger particles or clusters of particles early in the recrystallization process.

The texture of fully recrystallized material, however, contains only a relatively weak random component showing that the randomisation effect of the particles was limited. This was ascribed to a slower growth of randomly oriented grains compared with those with other orientations.