Texture Layering in Hot-rolled Sheets from Zr-2,5%Nb Alloy: Causes, Effects, Control

Hot-rolled sheets from Zr-2,5%Nb alloys, used by production of responsible construction elements for nuclear reactors, are characterized by the layer-by-layer inhomogeneity of texture and structure, which reduces the stability of sheet properties and therefore ought to be minimized. Layering of hot-rolled sheets depends on the used reduction per pass and on the temperature gradient within surface layers. Successive layers differ mainly in development of dynamic recrystallization as well as in the texture asymmetry, consisting in alternating prevalence of main components. Possibilities to suppress the texture layering in sheets from Zr-based alloys are considered.