GRAIN REFINEMENT AND TEXTURE CHANGES DURING HIGH-TEMPERATURE ANNEALING OF 3-PERCENT SILICON STEEL

In primary recrystallized steel during isothermal high-temperature annealing at 1100 degree C in vacuum (10** minus **4 mmHg) after low-tempering, grain refinement was observed, with formation of a cubic texture. No preferred orientation was observed in the texture. After tempering at 500 degree C for 1 h 30 min, the steel was annealed at 1100 degree C. During isothermal holding, grain growth occurs initially but is followed by grain refinement. A further increase in annealing time leads to secondary recrystallization with formation of cube-on-edge texture. It is assumed that the increase in the proportion of grains with a (100) left bracket 001 right bracket orientation results from their nucleation in already recrystallized metal.