AbstractThe feasibility of establishing thermomechanical conditions to promote {100}//ND fiber texture via strain-induced boundary migration (SIBM) recrystallization mechanism in a non-grain oriented (NGO) electrical steel was investigated. Single-hit uniaxial compression at various temperatures and strains has been applied on Fe-6 wt pct Si to establish the relationship between stored energy and the softening mechanisms. Recovery only and recrystallization by SIBM or by subgrain growth (SGG) have been observed depending on the stored energy level. A strong {100}//ND fiber recrystallization texture, i.e., 45 pct area fraction, was seen in the sample which was deformed to 0.2 strain at 650 °C and then annealed at 1000 °C for 15 minutes, whereas only 13 pct {100}//ND fiber component was observed after 0.4 strain at 500 °C followed by the same annealing treatment. By examining the same microstructural region before and after annealing via EBSD, it has been shown that {100}//ND textured recrystallized grains were formed adjacent to the {100}// ND textured deformed matrix. Low stored energy has been shown to favor the formation of {100}//ND texture recrystallized grains via SIBM recrystallization mechanism attributed to its slow recrystallization nucleation rate. The results from the deformation studies have been used to suggest a processing window map concept to define the recovery, SIBM, and SGG regions for the starting as-cast columnar microstructure.
Retaining {100} fibre texture in electrical steel via strain-induced boundary migration recrystallisation.
