Texture development during grain growth in nonoriented electrical steels

Nonoriented electrical steels should have both low core loss and high permeability. These magnetic properties are largely affected by grain size and texture. The research on grain size optimization during grain growth has been very extensive whereas little attention has been paid to texture transformation during grain growth. In the present study, based on obtained experimental results, a mechanism of texture development during grain growth in nonoriented electrical steels is proposed. In the 2 % Si specimens, the major texture components, Goss and {111}< 112 > components, are weakened during grain growth. In the 1 % Si specimens, the main texture components, {111}<(112 > and {111}< 110 >, are strengthened. It is proposed that for a texture component to be continuously strengthened during grain growth, the grains of the specific orientation should have not only a size advantage over those of other orientations, but also a higher frequency of high angle, high energy grain boundaries.