Effects of Al content and solidification rate on the crystal orientation of directionally solidified 1.3 wt% Si non-oriented electrical steel

Abstract

1.3 wt%Si–0.14 ∼ 0.51 wt%Al non-oriented silicon steel as-cast rods with developed columnar structure and pronounced Goss texture were produced using directional solidification technology. The solute enrichments, microstructures and crystal orientations at solid-liquid interface of rods under different solidification rates were investigated. It is found that alloying element Al has little positive branch segregation at solid-liquid interface during equiaxed-to-columnar transformation process. Higher solidification rate is favorable to the homogeneous nucleation of long columnar Goss grains, while higher Al content is beneficial to the stable nucleation and further growth of columnar Goss grain.