Quantifying recrystallization by electron backscatter diffraction

The use of high-resolution electron backscatter diffraction in the scanning electron microscope to quantify the volume fraction of recrystallization and the recrystallization kinetics is discussed. Monitoring the changes of high-angle grain boundary (HAGB) content during annealing is shown to be a reliable method of determining the volume fraction of recrystallization during discontinuous recrystallization, where a large increase in the percentage of high-angle boundaries occurs during annealing. The results are shown to be consistent with the standard methods of studying recrystallization, such as quantitative metallography and hardness testing. Application of the method to a highly deformed material has shown that it can be used to identify the transition from discontinuous to continuous recrystallization during which there is no significant change in the percentage of HAGB during annealing.