Goss Texture Evolution in a Grain-Oriented Fe-6.5wt%Si Steel Processed by Strip-Casting

Abstract

Fe-6.5wt%Si steel is an excellent soft magnetic material due to the near-zero magnetostriction and low core losses. In this study, a 0.3 mm-thick grain-oriented 6.5wt%Si steel sheet was produced by a novel strip casting and two-stage rolling. The microstructure and texture evolution were investigated with a special emphasis on the nucleation and growth of Goss grains. The thin normalized strip was composed of large columnar grains and small equiaxed grains. During intermediate annealing, Goss grains nucleated in the shear bands of the deformed <111>//ND grains, and the deformed {111}<112> grains provided most of the nucleation sites. After primary annealing, the Goss grains distributed across the entire thickness, which was different from the conventional rolling route. The fraction of high-angle boundaries (20°-45°) surrounding the Goss grains was apparently higher than those of the matrix grains, which promoted the abnormal growth of the Goss grains during secondary recrystallization.