Modelling recrystallization textures driven by intragranular fluctuations implemented in the viscoplastic self-consistent formulation

Abstract This paper presents a recrystallization model driven by intragranular orientation gradients and strain energy fields calculated by means of the viscoplastic self-consistent (VPSC) formulation. The VPSC model is extended for calculation of the coupling between intragranular stress fluctuations with corresponding second moments of lattice spin and misorientation fields in the grains. Access to these quantities allows modelling of transition bands and nucleation kinetics. In the proposed recrystallization model, grain growth is assumed to be proportional to the difference between the stored energy of each grain and that of the effective medium. Recrystallization textures for several cubic metals are simulated, showing good agreement with corresponding experiments. The model reveals the importance of considering appropriate, microstructurally-based and orientation-dependent recrystallization nucleation mechanisms. The recrystallization texture of heavily rolled copper with a strong cube texture component is found to be a consequence of nucleation at transition bands, which is also the cause of the recrystallization textures in compressed iron and drawn copper wire. In contrast, the recrystallization texture of rolled interstitial-free steel is found to be caused by grain boundary nucleation occurring in grains with the highest strain energy.