Effect of electric current direction on recrystallization rate and texture of a Cu–Zn alloy

The relationship between electric current direction and recrystallization rate as well as the resulting texture induced by electric current pulses (ECPs) was investigated in a Cu–Zn alloy. To distinguish the effect of electric current direction on recrystallization rate, the same input energy was exerted upon the samples to eliminate the effect of Joule heating induced by ECPs. Results showed that the recrystallization-related nucleation rate could be greatly enhanced when the electric current was dispositioned at an angle to the rolling direction. The main mechanism for the different nucleation rates might be ascribed to the different driving forces for recrystallization induced by ECPs when there was an angle between the electric current direction and the rolling direction.By all reckoning, it was expected that the ECP treatment would provide a promising approach for controlling the nucleation rate by changing the exerted electric current direction.