Influence of Fine Precipitates on Primary Recrystallization Mechanism and Texture Formation in Cold Rolled Fe-3%Si Alloy with Initial Coarse Goss Grains

Controlling the primary recrystallization texture is important to improve the magnetic properties of grain-oriented electrical steel through secondary recrystallization. To understand the factors influencing fine precipitates on the primary recrystallization mechanism and texture formation, changes in the recrystallization behaviors with states of precipitates (extremely fine, and coarse) were investigated through cold rolling, pre-annealing, and primary recrystallization annealing in Fe-3%Si alloy with initial coarse Goss ({110}<001>) grains using EBSD and TEM. Extremely fine MnS precipitated during the recovery stage had significant effects on the suppression of further recovery and recrystallization, especially after pre-annealing at 550 °C. Recrystallized Goss grains were observed after primary recrystallization annealing by nucleation and growth irrespective of the states of precipitates; however, in the steel with extremely fine precipitates, {111}<112> grains remained through primary recrystallization annealing. It is assumed that fine precipitates would inhibit the growth of Goss grains and keep {111}<112> orientation, the main orientation in the cold rolled sheet, which would indicate occurrence of continuous recrystallization.