Microstructure and texture evolution of thin-gauge non-oriented silicon steel with high permeability produced by twin-roll strip casting

A new method for producing high permeability thin-gauge non-oriented electrical steels with 2.3 mm thick Fe-3.2% Si steel as-cast strip was studied. The evolution of microstructure and texture was characterized during the entire processing route. Furthermore, the effects of cold-rolling with large reduction and intermediate annealing process on magnetic properties were studied. The results indicated that the as-cast strip with coarse grains exhibited strong lambda-fiber. Coarse equiaxed grains with Cube texture were obtained after first-stage cold-rolling with a reduction of 71.74% and intermediate annealing at 900 degrees C, which promoted the formation of lambda-fiber and alpha-fiber components in the final cold-rolled sheets. {100}< 0vw > texture was partially retained from the intermediate annealed grains, and new Cube and Goss components were nucleated within {110}< 110 > shear bands. The magnetic properties of 0.2 mm final sheets were greatly improved by strengthening 7.-fiber component with two-stage rolling process, and best magnetic properties were B-50 = 1.758 T, P-15/50 = 2.065 W/kg, P-10/400 = 15.173 W/kg, P-10/1k = 59.48 W/kg.