Microstructure and crystallographic texture of oriented silicon steel produced by TSCR

The microstructure and textures of oriented silicon steel produced by Thin Slab Casting and Rolling (TSCR) were studied in laboratory. The fractions of equiaxed grains and columnar grains are close to 35% and 65% respectively in as-quenched ingot after being pulled out from the mould. The equiaxed grains and no texture gradient from surface to center can be observed for the 3-pass hot-rolled strips, and the inhomogeneities of microstructure and texture in thickness are relatively clear for the 7-pass samples. The subsurface texture of the hot-rolled sample contains of epsilon (TD//< 110 >) fibers. The texture of the cold-rolled samples mainly consists of alpha (< 110 > IIRD) and gamma (< 111 >//ND) fibers, and Goss texture ({110}< 001 >) disappears. The strong a fiber, weak gamma fiber and minor {001}< 110 > can be found in all layers in the cold-rolled condition.