High-Throughput Quantification of Recrystallization Parameters for Alloy Development

Abstract A high—throughput method to quantify the response to annealing after cold work was developed in cartridge brass. Traditionally, multiple samples are deformed to various levels of uniform strain, and individually heat treated and characterized. In this work, tensile samples with a sinusoidal edge profile were used to give macroscale strain gradients ranging from approx. 5 to 40 pct von Mises strain and 0 to 20 pct von Mises strain. The critical strain for full recrystallization was retrieved by means of EBSD. Hardness tests were able to accurately detect this threshold. Relationships for the time taken for completion and initiation of recrystallization were developed using the gradient samples. Such data could aid manufacturers in designing post-cold work heat treatments for novel alloys. The grain size upon the completion of recrystallization was calculated using the Hall–Petch relationship developed in this study, the results of which were very similar to the data in the literature. This demonstrates that the gradient sample method produces similar results to traditional methods. The grain size and hardness values at various levels of strain after a given heat treatment in the gradient samples were also equivalent to homogeneous samples. Furthermore, continuous grain size gradients were produced in the fully recrystallized region of each sample, meaning these samples could potentially be used in parallel, high-throughput tests of grain size-dependent properties.