Influence of chemical composition and processing conditions on the microstructure and magnetic properties of low-carbon Si-Al-Sb electrical steel sheets
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abstract
It has been recently reported that the magnetic behavior of electrical steels containing Si Al, can be improved by an alternative processing route, which involves the intercritical annealing of the hot-rolled bands before cold-rolling. The effects of such processing route has not been investigated in steels containing Si-Al-Sb. It has been reported that Sb can enhance the magnetic behavior of these steels. The present work reports the microstructure and magnetic properties of Si-Al-Sb electrical steels processed by the alternative processing route. Results were compared with those of Si-Al electrical steel sheets processed both by the conventional and the alternative route. Microstructural characteristics of hot-rolled electrical steel samples were modified by an intercritical annealing conducted at 850 degrees C from 30 min to 720 min. After this, samples were cold rolled using thickness reductions of 80 %25 and 90 %25, and annealed at 750 degrees C, 850 degrees C and 950 degrees C for 8 min. Characterization of the samples included: spark optical emission spectrometry, dilatometry, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, while magnetic properties were determined in a silicon steel sheet iron loss tester. Results demonstrate that, Si-Al-Sb steels processed by the alternative route exhibit better performance (higher permeability, lower coercivity, lower core loss), than Si Al steels processed either by the conventional or the alternative route.
