Effect of hot band grain size on development of textures and magnetic properties in 2.0% Si non-oriented electrical steel sheet

The effect of hot band grain size on the development of crystallographic texture and magnetic properties in non-oriented electrical steel sheet was studied. After cold rolling the samples with different initial grain sizes displayed different microstructures and micro-textures but nearly identical macro-textures. The homogeneous recrystallized microstructure and micro-texture in the sample having small grains caused normal continuous grain growth. The quite irregular microstructure and micro-texture in the recrystallized sample with large initial grain size provided a preferential growth of grains in < 001 >//ND and < 113 >//ND which were beneficial for developing superior magnetic properties. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.