synchrotron radiation observation of deformation and annealing processes of aluminum single crystal

Shiro, Ayumi*; Okada, Tatsuya*; Shobu, Takahisa  

The objective of the present study was to carry out observations of deformation and annealing processes of aluminum single crystals using a synchrotron radiation X-rays at SPring-8. Al single-crystalline samples having a 111 orientation parallel to the longitudinal direction were grown by a Bridgman method. The samples were deformed in tension to a nominal strain of 0.08 at room temperature using an in-line tensioning apparatus. Post-deformation annealing at 480 C was subsequently carried out in the same apparatus. A two-dimensional detector was used to detect multiple diffracted beams from the sample during the deformation and annealing processes. The volume irradiated by the X-ray beam was found to be composed of three regions having a small orientation difference, which was attributable to sub-grained microstructures of the sample. Detailed analyses of a diffraction spot intensity showed that the sub-grained microstructures were surpassed by dislocated microstructures with the increase in the tensile strain. During the post-deformation annealing, diffraction spots from a recrystallized grain first appeared at 180 s after the temperature reached 480 C. Coexistence of diffraction spots from the deformation matrix and recrystallized grain lasted only for about 22 s in the irradiated volume. The migration rate of the boundary between the deformation matrix and recrystallized grain was estimated to be of the order of several micrometers/s.