Microstructure and texture development during recrystallization of rolled molybdenum sheets

Recrystallization is an important tool to adjust the grain size and texture of polycrystalline materials in order to optimize their properties. In the present work recrystallization and the related changes of texture have been studied on rolled molybdenum sheets as a function of temperature and time. The microstructure was investigated by orientation contrast in a scanning electron microscope. The kinetics of recrystallization displayed in a JMAK plot yields Avrami coefficients decreasing with temperature from 2.5 to 1.1. The activation energy amounts to 5 eV, which agrees well with the volume self-diffusion coefficient. The textures of the sheet surface and central layer were measured by X-ray diffraction. The rolling texture in the centre of the sheets is characterized by a strong alpha-fibre with the rotated cube component {100}<110> dominating. Besides that, there exists a weak gamma-fibre. In contrast, the surface layer is characterized by a weak cube component. During recrystallization changes in texture are insignificant. With long annealing times all texture components tend to degrade. Conclusions regarding the deep-drawability are drawn.