Investigation of recrystallization mechanisms in copper alloys

Abstract

Textures and local orientations have been determined in copper alloys after cold rolling and annealing. The measurements show that for a strain below a given threshold a mixed “deformation-recrystallization” texture is obtained after a static primary recrystallization : the {100}<001> cube orientation becomes stronger as annealing procedes, but is not dominating in the final microstructure. Global texture determinations by X-ray diffraction coupled with local orientation measurements by EBSD (Electron Back-Scattered Diffraction) show that in materials cold rolled by 70 and 80%, the orientation changes at the very beginning of the recrystallization process (i.e. at nucleation) are crucial for the formation of the recrystallization texture.