Effect of an applied stress on the recrystallization mechanisms of a zirconium alloy

The effect of an applied stress on the mechanism and kinetics of recrystallization of the zirconium alloy Zircaloy-4 is investigated by electron backscattered diffraction. Applying stress during the recrystallization slows down the growth stage. According to the stress amplitude, the nucleation rate is either accelerated or slowed down. A simple model is proposed to take into account these phenomena.