Mechanisms and Kinetics of Recrystallisation: A Two Dimensional Vertex Dynamics Simulation

The recrystallisation process in single phase materials is investigated using a vertex dynamics simulation. The situation is idealised (two dimensional and isotropic) to better understand the role of physical parameters (energy and mobility of subgrain and grain boundaries, shape and relative size of grains) on the competition between recrystallisation and recovery. Simulations show that subgrain growth can be very heterogeneous in the vicinity of grain boundaries, i.e. that recrystallisation develops following the bulging mechanism. Bulging is enhanced for low mobilities of subgrain boundaries, high relative desorientation and small relative sizes. The recrystallisation kinetics is well described by an Avrami law of low exponent.