Texture Evolution in Aluminum during Continuous Recrystallization

Abstract

Recent studies have shown that continuous recrystallization in nominally pure aluminum is characterised by a very fine grain sized (1-2 μm) microstructure and the texture components of as-deformed state remained unchanged until after secondary recrystallization takes place. This grain refinement by continuous recrystallization depends on the matrix solute content. For aluminum alloys, the key element is Fe and continuous recrystallization occurs when its concentration in the matrix is below ∼1 ppm. This study shows that if the matrix is extremely pure, preferred grain growth of the cube-S type of boundaries are replaced by that of large angle random grain boundaries. Thus it appears that the preferred growth of coincident site boundaries is due to the reduced solute pinning to these boundaries rather than their inherent rapid migration capabilities.