On the characterization of recrystallized fraction using electron backscatter diffraction: A direct comparison to local hardness in an IF steel using nanoindentation

Recrystallized fraction was characterized in a Ti-stabilized interstitial-free (IF) steel by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), optical metallography, and hardness-based techniques. EBSD and nanoindentation were performed on overlapping areas to assess the agreement between standard methods of EBSD analysis of deformation microstructures and local hardness. The results of the study indicate that carefully implemented misorientation-based techniques may be used to effectively determine recrystallization fraction, to better agreement with the local recrystallization state than EBSD image quality, optical metallography, or microhardness-based techniques.