Asymmetric cross rolling (ACR): A novel technique for enhancement of Goss/Brass texture ratio in Al-Cu-Mg alloy

The present work focused on the effect of asymmetric cross rolling (ACR) process as a novel technique on microstructure and texture evolution of Al-Cu-Mg alloys. The microstructural observation and bulk texture from RD-TD plane of the initial and deformed samples were characterized by optical microscopy (OM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). It was found that the deformed Al-Cu-Mg alloy consisted of strong Goss, Rotated Goss, Goss-Brass, and α-fiber textures. Usually, straight rolling leads to a significant strengthening of the Brass component with increasing strain in the Al-Cu-Mg alloy, but for asymmetrically cross rolled samples, the Goss orientation was stable after 40% deformation. Results showed that the ACR process was effective to intensify (up to 1.51 after 30% thickness reduction) the low Goss/Brass texture ratio often existing in the rolled Al-Cu-Mg alloy. During 30% ACR, the dynamic recrystallization (DRX) occurred, which led to increasing the intensity of Goss and Cube components and the fraction of extra high angle grain boundaries (EHAGBs).