Small-Angle Neutron Scattering on Grain Boundaries of Cold-Rolled Nickel

The effect of grain boundaries on small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) was investigated for pure nickel. A series of annealed cold-rolled nickel samples were characterized by SANS, electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The experimental results indicate that the proportion of low-angle grain boundaries (LAGBs) has a noticeable influence on the scattering intensity. Cold-rolled samples exhibited a similar proportion of LAGBs, leading to only slight differences in scattering intensity. The scattering intensity was found to be dependent on annealing time and temperature. For samples with low degrees of recrystallization, a large number of LAGBs remained, resulting in high scattering intensity at low q. In contrast, samples with a high degree of recrystallization showed a significant reduction in LAGBs, which caused a noticeable decrease in SANS intensity.