Magnetostriction of ⟨100⟩ oriented Fe-Ga rods with large diameter

The Fe83Ga17 alloy rods with < 100 > preferential orientation was prepared by directional solidification method. The dimension of oriented Fe83Ga17 rods is large up to 40 mm greater than diameter in previous investigations of 3-10 mm. The growth direction of columnar grain is nearly parallel to the solidification direction of rods. The deviation angle between axial direction and < 100 > direction of columnar crystal was investigated by method of electron backscattering diffraction, and the deviation is smaller than 10 degrees. The large columnar grain and < 100 > preferential orientation along axial direction of rods could be attributed to the calm solid-liquid interface during solidification process that is difficultly formed due to electromagnetism agitation in induction heating zone-melting method. The corresponding magnetostriction is large up to 290 X 10(-6) under pre-compressive press of 15 MPa.