Exploring 4D microstructural evolution in a heavily deformed ferritic alloy

Abstract

Abstract We present a multi-scale study of recrystallization annealing of an 85% cold rolled Fe-3%Si alloy using a combination of dark field X-ray microscopy (DFXM), synchrotron X-ray diffraction (SXRD), and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). The intra-granular structure of the as-deformed grain reveals deformation bands separated by ≈ 3–5°misorientation. We monitor the structural evolution of a recrystallized grain embedded in bulk, from the early stages of recrystallization to 65% overall recrystallization through isothermal annealing steps. Results show that the recrystallized grain of interest (GOI) grows much faster than its surroundings yet remains constant in size as the recrystallization proceeds. Isolated dislocations embedded within the volume of the recrystallized GOI are investigated.