Deformation characteristics of rolled zirconium alloys: a study by X-ray diffraction line profile analysis

Different techniques of the X-ray diffraction line profile analysis (XRDLPA) have been used to study the microstructural parameters of the heavily deformed solid polycrystalline Zircaloy-2 and Zr-2.5%Nb alloys. The domain size, microstrain within the domain, dislocation density and the stacking fault probabilities have been estimated by the Simplified Breadth Method, Williamson-Hall technique and the Modified Rietveld Method. A clear signature of the anisotropy in the domain shape was revealed. The domain size (D-e) was quantified along the different crystallographic directions. In these deformed alloys, the dislocation density (rho(e)) was of the order of 10(15) m(-2) but the stacking fault probabilities were almost negligible. For the first time, we could establish an empirical relationship between D-e and (rho(e))(-1/2) for these hexagonal closed packed alloys. (C) 2004 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.