The effect of coarse non-deformable particles on the deformation and static recrystallization of aluminium alloys

The phenomenon of particle-stimulated nucleation (PSN) during recrystallization of commercial aluminium alloys has been widely investigated both from a scientific viewpoint and from the industrial perspective. The technological impact of this phenomenon is the finding that, depending upon the thermomechanical processing conditions, the occurrence of PSN may strengthen or weaken the deformation texture during recrystallization, which may or may not be desirable for a specific application of the final product. From a scientific standpoint, the mechanics of formation of localized deformation zones in the vicinity of the hard particles and the development of deformation substructures within the deformation zone that eventually turn into a recrystallized nucleus are still not completely understood. This paper describes the application of a coupled finite-element-Monte Carlo technique to study the phenomenon of PSN during recrystallization of aluminium and the subsequent growth of the nuclei. The deformation and recrystallization textures arising from initial microstructures with and without hard particles are compared to elucidate the particle effect on texture. The simulations have been applied to single crystals, bicrystals and a tricrystal of aluminium of specific crystallographic orientations with and without the hard particles at specific locations such as the grain interior, grain boundary and triple line. The simulation results are compared with existing experimental data on the deformation and recrystallization of particle-containing aluminium alloys.