Papers by Author: Pete S. Bate

Abstract: A combination of electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and focused ion beam (FIB) techniques were used to obtain 3D EBSD data in an investigation of dynamic recrystallization in a Cu-2%Sn bronze alloy. The results of this investigation show the origin of the nucleation sites for dynamic recrystallization and also elucidates the orientation relationship of the recrystallized grains to the deformed, prior grains and between the dynamically recrystallized grains.

Abstract: The effect of second-phase particles on the deformation and annealing behaviour of metals is re-assessed in the light of some new techniques. Using an EBSD method which provides much improved angular resolution, the effect of small non-deformable particles on the homogeneity of the deformation microstructure has been quantified. The presence of micron sized second-phase particles alters the deformation microstructure adjacent to particles, and a 3-d investigation of the deformation structures associated with large (>1μm) second-phase particles in cold rolled aluminium alloys has been carried out using 3-d FIB sectioning combined with EBSD, and the microstructures compared with the predictions of 3-d CPFEM modelling. The effects of grain orientation, strain and particle size have been investigated, and the results compared with earlier TEM investigations of such microstructures.

Abstract: The development of crystallographic textures of IF and HSLA steels after 20, 50, 70 and 90% cold rolling reductions and subsequent recrystallisation have been investigated using Electron Backscattered Diffraction (EBSD). The HSLA steel was initially processed to give a volume fraction of about 0.2 of fine pearlite colonies, which acted as mechanically hard particles. Both cold rolling and recrystallisation textures are shown to be largely dependent on the rolling reduction for both steels. With increasing rolling reduction, the texture shows gradual intensification of α and γ fibre components. Although PSN was the dominant nucleation site in the HSLA steel during annealing, the α and γ fibres also exist in the recrystallisation textures, but with lower density.

Abstract: The effect of copper content on dynamic grain growth in Al-Cu-Zr system was investigated by studying the microstructural development and texture evolution during uniaxial tensile deformation of Al-2wt%Cu-0.3wt.%Zr and Al-4wt%Cu-0.4wt.%Zr alloys at 450°C with a strain rate of 10-3s-1, with a similar initial microstructure in both materials. The initial microstructure consisted of layers of different orientations, the layers being separated by high-angle grain boundaries with low-angle boundaries separating grains within the layers. The initial grain spacing was about 5
m and the texture was typical of rolled aluminium alloys. The 4wt.%Cu alloy gave a higher strain rate sensitivity index, m, and a greater ductility compared to the low copper content alloy. An increase in grain size occurred in both materials due to deformation, but this dynamic grain growth (DGG) was much greater in the material with the higher copper content. This was associated with a more rapid conversion of low-angle boundaries to high angle ones in the 4wt%Cu material which is consistent with changes in crystallographic texture occurring during deformation.

Abstract: The effect of deformation on the microstructure of a Al-4wt.%Cu alloy has been investigated. Evaluation of the microstructural changes was made by comparing results after both static annealing and tensile testing (deformed and non-deformed regions) at 450 °C. Uniaxial perturbed-rate tests showed that the Al-4wt.%Cu has a low value of the strain rate sensitivity index (m ~ 0.22) and cannot be considered as a superplastic material. It was found that in the deformed regions, specimens showed a significant increase in the grain and particle size. These changes were accompanied by an increase in the aspect ratio of the matrix grains. Tensile tests carried out at constant strain rates and stopped at intermediate strains helped to estimate the rate of the grain and particle growth and the contribution of deformation to it. To examine in detail the mechanism of the particle coarsening during deformation, additional tensile tests were made using the Al-4wt.%Cu alloy annealed at temperature conditions leading to abnormal grain size. Results of these tests also showed strain-induced particle coarsening, so that dynamic particle coarsening was not simply caused by boundary migration effects.

Abstract: Grain growth may occur in two forms, normal grain growth, characterized by a constant grain size distribution during growth, and abnormal grain growth, where one or more abnormally large grains may form in the microstructure. The presence of abnormally large grains in an otherwise uniform microstructure may be detrimental to the mechanical properties of a polycrystalline structure. Little is understood of the exact cause of abnormal grain growth. The annealing conditions leading to the onset of abnormal grain growth have been investigated via a series of grain growth experiments carried out on an Al-4wt%Cu alloy. The structure of which consisted of equiaxed grains (<8μ) pinned by a fine dispersion of sub-micron second phase particles, which may dissolve upon annealing. Minority texture components may experience accelerated growth due to a higher energy and mobility compared to the surrounding grain structure. The combination of these two events may result in the abnormal growth of some grains. SEM imaging and EBSD data has then made it possible to characterize the influence of particle dissolution and grain boundary misorientation on the onset of abnormal grain growth. The stability of ‘island grains’ found to exist internally in abnormally large grains has also been investigated in relation to the misorientation relationship and localized second phase volume fraction found there. There was only weak evidence of special misorientation relationships between the island grains and the abnormally large grains in which they exist, and although there was evidence of an enhanced fraction of pinning particles at island grain boundaries, this was also true of boundaries in general. The larger size of island grains is their dominant characteristic, and grains which become island grains may have been incipient abnormal grains.

Abstract: Copper, Cu-2%Sn and Cu-4.5%Sn alloys have been deformed in plane strain compression at temperatures up to 700oC and the evolution of the microstructures and textures determined by high resolution EBSD. The effect of the solute is to raise the temperature at which dynamic recrystallization occurs and to significantly reduce the size of the dynamically recrystallized grains. In all the materials, there is a small increase in the cube texture component on dynamic recrystallization. The boundary bulges which precede recrystallization are different in the copper and Cu-Sn alloys, although in both materials there is evidence that local deformation in the boundary regions plays a significant role in dynamic recrystallization.

Abstract: Dynamic grain growth in superplastic AA5083 deformed at constant strain rates and varying strain rates has been studied. It has been found that the strain rate history has a significant influence on the grain growth behaviour. It is proposed that differences in mechanical behaviour of AA5083 for the strain rate conditions examined can be attributed to differences in the grain growth behaviour. The influence of dynamic grain growth on the superplastic behaviour of AA5083 is discussed.

Abstract: Recrystallization phenomena in an interstitial free (IF) steel have been investigated by in-situ annealing in the SEM, combined with Electron Back Scattered Diffraction (EBSD) mapping. Sequential recrystallization phenomena, such as initiation and growth of new grains, are clearly distinguished by EBSD mapping at temperatures of up to 1070K. More than 70% of the recrystallized grains are of {111}<121>, {111}<123> and {111}<110> orientation. It is found that many recrystallized grains are formed from {111}<123> deformed grains at the beginning of recrystallization. It is observed that some of α-fibre (RD//<110>) orientations have difficulty in recrystallization compared to γ–fibre deformed grains. In particular, many grains of {001}<110> orientation remain un-recrystallized even after holding for 65 minutes at 1050K.

Abstract: The microstructure and texture in dynamically recrystallized copper and two copper – tin alloys (2wt% and 4.5wt% tin) has been investigated. Specimens were deformed in channel-die plane strain compression to true strains from 0.1 to 1.22 within the temperature range 200°C to 700°C, and the resulting microstructures were investigated with the use of high resolution electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Dynamic recrystallization was initiated by the bulging of preexisting high angle grain boundaries (HAGB), and occurred primarily by strain induced boundary migration (SIBM) and twinning. The addition of tin led to an increase in the temperature at which dynamic recrystallization initiated, and furthermore to a smaller dynamically recrystallized grain size. This was attributed to the effects of solute drag causing lower HAGB mobility. Dynamic recrystallization was observed to weaken the deformation texture components of brass and Goss, as well as introduce a cube texture component which generally tended to strengthen with temperature but weaken with increasing tin additions.