Development of microstructures and texture during cold rolling in AA 7055 aluminum alloy

Abstract The evolution of texture as well as microstructures in an AA 7055 aluminum alloy during cold rolling was investigated by optical microscope (OM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD) and X-ray diffraction. The results show that more microbands are formed in the center of the plate with the rolling reduction, while the spacing between two bands decreases. The angles between the microbands (MBs) and rolling direction (RD) are 29° and 24°, respectively, from 30 and 43% reductions. The texture analysis shows that the intensity of the rolling texture in the center of the plate, keeps on decreasing rapidly with the reduction, especially the brass (Bs) orientation. The Bs orientation tends to rotate towards the {0 0 1} 〈1 1 0〉 rotated cube orientation with the reduction. When the reduction is up to 43%, a strong new orientation, which deviates about 30° from the ideal position of {0 0 1} 〈1 1 0〉 rotated cube texture, is developed.