MICROSTRUCTURE AND CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC TEXTURE OF STRIP-CAST FE-3.2%SI STEEL SHEET

Abstract

Fe-3.2%Si steel strips were produced using vertical type twin casting process, and the changes of microstructure and texture trough thickness direction were analyzed. The equiaxed grains of approximately 44.6µm were observed in the center layer, the great mass of columnar dendrite was formed near the surface, and the dendrite truck mainly developed in the transverse direction with respect to the casting direction of about 45° or less. From the subsurface to the center, the volume fraction of the Goss texture (110)[001] gradually decreases. The Goss {110} components at the surface are two times those at the center layer, the {001} components are three times those at the center layer, and the overall texture components are similar to that of the hot-rolled oriented silicon steel strip. The minor α texture could be found from the φ2=45° sections of ODF, and there is no remarkable composition segregation of Si element in the thickness direction of thin strip.