The effect of intermediate annealing between cold rolled steps on crystallographic texture and magnetic properties of Fe-2.6% Si

The crystallographic textures and magnetic properties of Fe-2.6 wt% Si after two different cold rolling and thermal treatment processes were investigated. The first set of samples was 90% cold rolled and annealed for 20 min at 600 degrees C, 700 degrees C, 900 degrees C and 1100 degrees C, while the second set was cold rolled for 75% and 60% with intermediate annealing at 600 degrees C for 60 min. Samples were analyzed by neutron diffraction and magnetic measurements. By means of the one and two stage cold rolling processes important cube < 0 0 1 >[100] and Goss components {110}< 001 > were produced. Magnetic properties obtained through the two stage process were better than the properties found with the one stage process due to a higher fraction of the cube and Goss components in the material after the two stage process. An increase of grain sizes does not lead to better magnetic properties. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.