Quantification of partially recrystallized polycrystals using electron backscatter diffraction

A new experimental method of determining the volume fraction of recrystallized structure in a polycrystalline material has been developed. This method is based upon the comparison of electron backscatter diffraction patterns from adjacent locations in a polycrystal. Positions along a line are tested to determine whether adjacent points have the same crystal lattice orientation indicating that no dislocation structure exists between the two locations. If the distance between the two positions is relatively small, it is assured that the two points lie within a region of essentially defect-free lattice. Scanning through a region of material in this manner yields the lineal fraction of recrystallized material which directly correlates with the volume fraction. This automatic measurement eliminates the subjectivity and human error always associated with the quantitative determination of fraction recrystallized in a material.