Texture evolution during cold rolling and recrystallisation of IF steel with a strong {111} hot band texture

For a new industrially processed, hot rolled Ti+ Nb IF steel, finished in the ferrite region and subsequently annealed, the texture development during cold rolling and annealing is investigated. The strong hot band texture is of the {554}[225] peak type. During cold rolling, the absolute maximum shifts from {554}[225] to {111}[112] along the epsilon-fibre and the local maximum along the alpha-fibre shifts from {111}[110] to {223}[110]. During recrystallisation, the weaker alpha+stronger gamma-fibre cold rolling texture is transformed to a very strong gamma-fibre annealing texture. Hereby, {111}[111] and, to a much lesser extent, {554}[225] develop at the expense of {111}[112]. Orientation Imaging Microscopy (OIM) reveals that gamma-fibre grains nucleate and grow in the beginning of recrystallisation by consuming gamma-fibre components of the deformed matrix. Already after 23% recrystallisation, the texture of the recrystallised grains is very similar to the one obtained after full recrystallisation. Moreover, {111}[110] grains are found to be larger and more numerous than {554}[225] grains. The former therefore have an advantage over the latter for consuming the partial alpha-fibre grains during the final stage of recrystallisation and for further development during grain growth. As a result, a very strong {111}[110] peak type annealing texture is obtained in the present material, resulting in extremely good deep drawability.