Oriented Nucleation in Low‐Carbon Steels

The preferred orientations in hot‐rolled, cold‐rolled (70 % reduction), and annealed low‐carbon steels (capped and aluminium‐killed grades) have been investigated. Particular attention has been paid to the factors that control texture formation during annealing.The elastic energy stored in the cold‐rolled steels is orientation dependent and the sequence, estimated from a Fourier analysis of X‐ray line broadening, is V₁₁₀ > V₁₁₁ > V₂₁₁ > V₁₀₀; the values range from 3.51 to 1.14 cal/g atom. The high energy components ({110}, {111}) have elongated cell structures but those of lower energy are equiaxed. In capped steels the high energy components recover and recrystallize most rapidly. In aluminium‐killed steels both recovery and recrystallization are inhibited at low temperatures ≤ 500℃ and recrystallization begins first in the {111} components. It is shown that these effects are associated with precipitation and/or segregation of AlN during recovery. The recrystallization texture is determined primarily by oriented nucleation.