Microstructural and crystallographic response of shock-loaded pure copper

Microstructural and crystallographic aspects of high-velocity forming or “rapid” forming of rolled sheets of pure copper have been investigated in this work. Significant changes in crystallographic orientation and microstructure were observed when thin (0.5 mm) metal sheets of annealed copper were subjected to high strain rate deformation in a conventional shock tube at a very low impulse magnitude (∼0.2 N s), which is inconceivable in conventional metal forming. Shock-loaded samples show characteristic texture evolution with a high brass {110}〈112〉 component. A significant change in grain orientation spread was observed with increasing amount of effective strain without any drastic change in grain size. The texture after deformation was found to be strain-dependent. The path of texture evolution is dependent on the initial texture. Misorientation was limited to less than 5°. Deformation bands and deformation twins were observed. There was a decrease in twin [Σ3 coincidence site lattice (CSL)] boundary number fraction with increasing strain due to the change in twin boundary character to high-angle random boundary (HARB) as a result of dislocation pile up. The study shows the probability of a high-velocity shock wave forming pure Cu.