Microstructure and texture evolution of W-25Re alloy sheets under different rolling deformations

This study employed multi-pass unidirectional rolling with deformation levels ranging from 30% to 90% to fabricate W-25Re alloy sheets, and systematically investigated their microstructural characteristics, recrystallization behavior, texture evolution, and mechanical properties. The results revealed that the microstructural evolution of the rolled W-25Re alloy proceeds through three distinct stages: original grain fragmentation, dynamic recrystallization (DRX), and grain elongation. The addition of Re increases the resistance to grain boundary migration, leading to the formation of elongated grains. Furthermore, a distinct {100} preferred orientation was observed in the X‑ray Diffraction (XRD) pattern of the W-25Re alloy at 90% rolling deformation. Quantitative texture analysis showed that the rolled W-25Re alloy exhibited a typical body-centered cubic (BCC) texture. Especially, the orientation distribution function (ODF) map revealed a strong α-fiber texture (the {001}<110 > texture) with a peak intensity of 16 at the 90% rolling deformation. In terms of mechanical properties, the microhardness of the W-25Re alloy increases from 385.5 HV in the powder metallurgy (PM) state to a range of 584.78 HV to 624.11 HV in the rolled state, exhibiting a trend of an initial rapid increase followed by gradual saturation in increasing deformation. This characteristic is consistent with the work hardening saturation effect and the microstructural evolution of the W-25Re alloy during rolling.