Evolution of surface and bulk textures during superplastic deformation in a zinc alloy

Textured Zn–1.1%Al alloy sheet, free of through-thickness texture gradient, has been subjected to superplastic deformation. The texture of the samples are characterized by two 0002 components. During superplastic deformation, their intensity remains quite stable at the surface and decreases significantly in the mid-layer. Such texture changes are explained by the different sliding–rotation behavior of grains at the surface and in the bulk.