Recrystallized cube grains in an Al–Mg–Si alloy dependent on prior cold rolling

This paper reports on the experimental investigation of an industrial Al–Mg–Si alloy, which was subjected to different cold rolling reductions and subsequently solution annealed. Based on large-scale electron backscatter detection (EBSD) measurements, it provides an analysis of the area fraction, size and number density of cube grains in the fully recrystallized microstructure. The area fraction and number density of recrystallized cube grains increase continuously with increasing strain, but the cube grain size equals the average grain size independent of prior strain. The recrystallization advantage of cube grains decreases rapidly with increasing misorientation from the ideal cube component. The technological relevance of this misorientation dependence and its possible micro-mechanical origins are discussed.