Neutron diffraction method for stored energy measurement in interstitial free steel

Part of the energy acquired by polycrystalline metals during plastic deformation is stored in the form of dislocations and other crystal defects. A method is described for the measurement of the orientation dependence of the stored energy of cold work, using neutron diffraction line broadening. To illustrate the method, the measured stored energy values for 80% cold rolled interstitial free (IF) steel are compared with the stored energy in a stress relieved specimen. The correlation between the Taylor factor and the stored energy for an 80% cold rolled specimen is discussed. (C) 1997 Acta Metallurgica Inc.