The development of the rolling texture in copper measured by neutron diffraction

Three-dimensional orientation distribution functions of the crystallites in copper sheets, cold rolled to different degrees of reduction, have been determined using neutron diffraction pole figures. The main features of the textures may be represented by the orientation `tube' already described in prior publications. Two ranges of rolling reduction can be distinguished, a lower one (30 to 50%) and a higher one (70 to 95%) the texture changes of which correspond to those calculated after the Taylor theory. In an intermediate range (50 to 70%) a different deformation mechanism occurs which leads to an intermediate (001) [110] texture component. It is supposed that anisotropic hardening may have occurred in this range.