Magnetostriction and crystallographic texture in rolled and annealed Fe-Ga based alloys

Results that demonstrate the selective development of {100}< 001 > preferred texture in polycrystalline Fe81.3Ga18.7 plus B (0.5 similar to 1.0 at.%) and S (similar to 0.05 at.%) alloys using a conventional rolling and annealing processes are presented in this work. We found that boron improved ductility by enhancing grain boundary cohesion during rolling and sulfur played an important role in controlling the surface energy and formation of the selective growth of {100} grains during annealing. The as-rolled (Fe81.3Ga18.7)+0.5 at.%B+0.005 at.%S sheet had some {100}< 011 > and near {111}< 011 > texture corresponding to alpha-fiber texture parallel to the rolling direction. The near {100}< 001 > sheet texture was formed in sheet that was annealed at 1200 degrees C for 2h (198 ppm), while the texture of sheet annealed at 1100 degrees C for 4h (165 ppm) was closer to {110}< 001 >. The maximum observed magnetostriction of 220 ppm was obtained as a result of a double annealed, first at 1000 degrees C for 6h and then at 1200 degrees C for I h, with the resultant texture closer to the ideal {100}< 001 > than the less desirable {100}< 011 >.