Beneficial clock-rolling cycles on the microstructure uniformity of {111} grains in tantalum sheets

Controlling the texture of tantalum sheets is of critical importance to fabricate good sputtering targets. In the present study two tantalum sheets were produced by clock rolling to 70% thickness reduction in 1 or 2 cycles. The results show that the stored energy and grain subdivision within the {111} grains {<111>//normal direction (ND)} after 1 cycle are significantly higher than those after 2 cycles, leading to fast recrystallization kinetics and strong {111} recrystallized texture upon annealing. Simulations with Taylor model indicate that shear strain occurred on more slip systems in the 2-cycle sample, which could explain the formation of cell blocks in {111} grains.