The evolution of cluster of grains with ∑3n relationship in austenitic stainless steel

The evolution of cluster of grains with ∑3n relationship (∑3n CG) in austenitic stainless steel was investigated by in situ microstructural observations using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). The results showed that, after cold rolling with thickness reduction of 6%, ∑3n CG developed from several existing grains during annealing at 1173 K. As annealing proceeded, ∑3n CG was growing larger with the so-called strain induced boundary migration (SIBM), and in the meantime, the connectivity of random high angle grain boundaries (HABs) network was interrupted by low ∑-coincidence site lattice boundaries (∑CSLBs) effectively.