Texture Evolution in Nanocrystalline Fe Induced by Surface Mechanical Attrition Treatment

The texture evolution of the pure iron sample after the surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) was investigated by means of electron backscattering and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Experimental observations indicated that four sections along depth were formed in the pure iron sample during the SMAT, i.e., nanostructured regime in the surface layer, submicro-sized, micro-sized and plastic deformed regime. Compared to the microstructure of sample, texture analysis was performed. It can be found that the //ND fiber texture is the prominent texture. A strong orientation of (110)[11] along the //ND fiber was formed in the plastic deformed regime, and as the depth from the top surface decreases, //ND fiber texture intensity increases. The maximum intensity was reached in the micro-sized regime, and then it start to reduce. In the nanostructured regime, //ND fiber texture nearly disappear.