The effect of starting grain size on the evolution of microstructure and texture in nickel during processing by cross-rolling

Nickel sheets having starting grain sizes of 36 μm (fine grained starting material) and 800 μm (coarse grained starting material) were deformed by unidirectional and cross cold rolling routes up to 90% reduction in thickness. Unidirectional rolled sheets developed pure metal or copper type deformation texture irrespective of the starting grain size. However, significant differences could be observed in the texture of the two materials processed by cross-rolling. The most remarkable difference in the texture of the cross-rolled materials was much stronger Brass ({011}<112>) and rotated Brass ({011} < 7 4 _ 4 > ) components in the fine grained starting material as compared to the coarse grained starting material. The observed differences in texture during processing by the cross-rolling route might be attributed to the different grain subdivision behavior in coarse grained starting material due to large starting grain size which correlated well with the very diffuse and fragmented microstructure developed in this material.