Neutron diffraction determination of texture development in two phase alloys

Texture measurements by neutron diffraction in two-phase alloys are free of the effect of anisotropic absorption encountered in X-ray diffraction in such materials. Because of the large sample sizes which can be used in this method, textures in phases of small volume components can be sufficiently measured (e.g. 1 Vol% or less). Using this method, the textures of extruded Pb-Al and Al-Cu in-situ composites were studied in the whole composition range. With the same external deformation degree, the internal deformation degree of a harder phase is the smaller the lower the percentage of this phase in a soft matrix. The internal deformation degree was determined by quantitative SEM measurements of the size of the harder particles. The external deformation is axially symmetric, not so, however, the internal deformation of the single phases. Hence, texture development in two phases is to be considered as a function of the internal deformation degree, but it also depends on the inhomogenity of plastic flow in the two phase material. (orig.)