Recrystallization Kinetics of Niobium with Submicrocrystalline Structure

Abstract—Transmission and scanning electron microscopy have been used to study the kinetics of recrystallization at 400 and 700°C of niobium in which a submicrocrystalline structure was created as a result of high-pressure torsion. It has been shown that the recrystallization at 700°C occurs in accordance with the kinetics of normal grain growth. A decrease in the rate constant with an increase in the duration of annealing to more than 1 h is due to textural changes, rather than the completion of primary recrystallization. Upon the low-temperature recrystallization (400°C), a stable fine-grained structure is formed, which remains almost unchanged with increasing duration of annealing.