Texture and magnetostriction in rolled Fe-Ga alloy

The addition of Nb can improve ductility of Fe81Ga19 alloy during rolling process. The (Fe81Ga19)+1%Nb sheet with thickness of 0.6 mm was prepared by conventional hot rolling and cold rolling and its magnetostriction effects were studied. Results demonstrate that the magnetostriction of the sheet are closely related to rolled texture, and the recrystallization texture depends on heat treatment process. The {111} < uvw > and near {001} < 110 > rolling-textures are major in the rolled sheet, and the magnetostriction lambda(//) only is 26x10(-6). A near {011}(100) texture and a {001} < 100 > texture were formed in the recrystallized sheets which were water quenched after 2 h annealing at 1250 and 1300 degrees C, and their magnetostriction (3/2)lambda(RD) are 106x10(-6) and 134x10(-6) respectively.