Grain reorientation during zone annealing of MA6000

Abstract

Reorientation towards a 〈110〉 fibre texture by the submicrometre unrecrystallised grains of the mechanically alloyed nickel based superalloy MA6000 has been observed behind the secondary recrystallisation interface during the zone annealing process. The driving force is considered to be the potential reduction in grain boundary energy, and possible mechanisms are those of grain rotation or the preferential growth of suitably oriented annealing twins. From orientation analyses by microbeam electron diffraction it is demonstrated that the reorientation arises from the latter process.

MST/3615