Deformation characteristics of rolled zirconium alloys: a study by X-ray diffraction line profile analysis

Abstract

Different techniques of the X-ray diffraction line profile analysis (XRDLPA) have been used to study the microstructural parameters of the heavily deformed solid polycrystalline Zircaloy-2 and Zr–2.5%Nb alloys. The domain size, microstrain within the domain, dislocation density and the stacking fault probabilities have been estimated by the Simplified Breadth Method, Williamson–Hall technique and the Modified Rietveld Method. A clear signature of the anisotropy in the domain shape was revealed. The domain size ( D e) was quantified along the different crystallographic directions. In these deformed alloys, the dislocation density ( ρ e) was of the order of 10 15 m −2 but the stacking fault probabilities were almost negligible. For the first time, we could establish an empirical relationship between D e and ( ρ e ) - 1 2 for these hexagonal closed packed alloys.