Registration of data from a multimodal investigation of particle stimulated nucleation in aluminum

Nucleation of recrystallization at large second phase particles during annealing is essential in many industrially relevant aluminum alloys. To adequately quantify the spatial distribution of such particles and their impact on nucleation in bulk materials, 3D investigations are needed. This study presents a multimodal characterization method to investigate particle stimulated nucleation in a heavily deformed AA5182 alloy. To map the spatial distribution of large second phase particles, conventional laboratory absorption contrast X-ray tomography is used, while the recrystallization nuclei are revealed by Laue micro-diffraction using synchrotron X-rays. The registration of data obtained by the two different non-destructive high-resolution experimental techniques is described. Finally, some preliminary results are presented.