Analysis of {100} Texture Formation in Vacuum Annealed Electrical Steel Based on Elastic Anisotropy and Surface Energy Anisotropy

In the present work, columnar grains with strong {100} texture in the surface layer are obtained by controlling cold rolling reduction and vacuum annealing with alpha -> gamma -> alpha transformation in a Fe-3%Si steel sheet containing Mn and C. The formation of the {100} texture during vacuum annealing is related to cold rolling reduction. The {100} seeds are retained during a low cold rolling reduction and recrystallization process. The annealed {100} and {100} originate mainly from the nucleation of recrystallization in deformed microstructures. The {100} texture, that is, formed during vacuum annealing originates from the deformed {100}. The development of sharp {100} texture is caused by alpha -> gamma -> alpha transformation during vacuum annealing. In the process of gamma to alpha transformation, the values of elastic strain energy for alpha grains with different orientations on the surface are estimated. By combining the surface energies of various crystallographic planes, it is reasonable to conclude that the elastic strain energy anisotropy plays a significant role in the formation of a sharp {100} texture during gamma -> alpha transformation. The {100} grains prefer to grow in the surface layer columnar grains by minimizing elastic strain energy during gamma -> alpha transformation.