Use of EBSD to study stress induced microstructural changes in Zn–Al based alloy

Tensile stress induced microstructural changes in an eutectoid Zn–Al based alloy were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD) techniques. Both Zn-rich η′T and ε phases were identified by EBSD using predetermined lattice parameters of the phases. It was found that tensile deformation resulted in decomposition of the Zn-rich η′T and ε phases in the furnace cooled (FC) eutectoid Zn–Al based alloy. With increasing strain, the decomposition of the η′T and ε phases developed in the high stress concentrated neck zone and the rupture part of the FC-tensile deformed specimen. The measured preferred crystal orientations of the Zn-rich phases in the FC-tensile deformed Zn–Al alloy were in a good agreement with previous XRD investigation.