Development of the microstructure and crystallographic texture during annealing of a rolled polycrystalline Fe3Al alloy

The evolution of the microstructure and crystallographic texture of a polycrystalline Fe3Al alloy during rolling and subsequent annealing was studied. For this purpose optical microscopy, single orientation determination in the scanning electron microscope and X-ray texture measurements were carried out on both rolled and annealed specimens. During warm rolling (ϵmax = 80%, Troll = 560 °C) a strong texture fibre close to {111}〈uvw〉 with a maximum at {557}〈110〉 was developed. During the subsequent heat treatment (750 °C, salt bath) the orientation distribution did not change substantially, i.e. the texture close to {111}〈uvw〉 was essentially preserved. For annealing times less than 50 s the {557}〈110〉 orientation remained the dominant texture component. For annealing times exceeding 50 s the {557}〈110〉 orientation considerably decreased and the {111}〈112〉 orientation, which was nearly unaffected by annealing, became the main orientation. These texture changes, which were studied in detail by use of single orientation determination, were interpreted in terms of preferred recovery in {111}〈112〉 and preferred recrystallization in {557}〈110〉 oriented grains.