Evolution of microstructure of an iron aluminide during severe plastic deformation by heavy rolling

Severe plastic deformation is generally achieved using novel techniques such as Equal Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP) or High Pressure Torsion (HPT), but may also be achieved by more conventional methods such as very heavy rolling. Microstructure evolution is examined in an iron aluminide intermetallic rolled to strains up to 3.3 using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and orientation determinations by Kikuchi line analysis. After the highest strains the microstructure is still characterized as a recovered submicron-scale dislocation structure, with generally low angles across the various boundaries, and a high density of dislocations inside these boundaries. The structures observed show a dependence on orientation of the underlying parent grain, with [001] orientations showing poorer rearrangement to cellular structures than grains with [113–111] orientations.