X-ray diffraction studies on asymmetrically broadened peaks of heavily deformed zirconium-based alloys

The diffraction peaks of Zircaloy-2 and Zr–2.5% Nb alloys at various deformations are found to be asymmetric in nature. In order to characterize the microstructure from these asymmetric peaks of these deformed alloys, X-ray diffraction line profile analysis like Williamson–Hall technique, Variance method based on second- and fourth-order restricted moments and Stephens model based on anisotropic strain distribution have been adopted. The domain size and dislocation density have been evaluated as a function of deformation for both these alloys. These techniques are useful where the dislocation structure is highly inhomogeneous inside the matrix causing asymmetry in the line profile, particularly for deformed polycrystalline materials.