Neutron Diffraction Measurements of Deformation and Recrystallization Textures in Cold Wire-Drawn Copper

Abstract

The crystallographic texture of electrolytic tough pitch copper has been investigated by neutron diffraction after deformation by cold wire-drawing (reduction of area between 51 and 94 %) and after static recrystallization. The deformation texture characterized by a strong <111> fiber is reinforced with increasing strain, while the volume fraction of <100> fiber is reduced. In turn, we show that the <100> fiber is strongly reinforced after recrystallization when intensity of the <100> maxima increases with the level of deformation. Since the <111> fiber disappears first during annealing, the static recrystallization has been followed “in situ” by measurements of the diffracted intensity evolution in the center of the {111} pole figure. From these experimental data and taking into account the Arrhenius equation, the activation energy of the recrystallization process has been determined for each deformation rate.