Evolution of 3D microstructure in highly deformed α-iron during in-situ isothermal annealing

Despite its industrial relevance, non-destructive mapping of highly deformed and recrystallized grains in the same 3D volume remains a challenge due to the limitations of existing characterization techniques. Current methods lack the resolution and deformation tolerance needed to capture early-stage nucleation in realistic samples. This experiment will use scanning 3DXRD and Texture Tomography (TT) at ID11 to map the deformed microstructure of 65% cold-rolled α-iron and track its evolution during interrupted annealing, following recrystallization within the same volume. By directly visualizing recrystallization, we aim to resolve fundamental scientific questions: How do local deformation structures influence recrystallization in 3D? Can we predict nucleation sites? Additionally, this study will benchmark TT against scanning 3DXRD, assessing their complementarity for 3D grain mapping and refining methodologies for the broader research community.