Accelerated recrystallization and improved goss texture of Fe–3Si silicon steel strip via electropulsing treatment

Recrystallization behaviour and texture evolution of Fe–3Si alloy strip by electropulsing treatment (EPT) were investigated through EBSD and X-ray diffraction techniques. It was found that EPT remarkably reduced recrystallization temperature of Fe–3Si alloy, induced full recrystallization at 550 °C in a short time (10 s), fine and uniform recrystallization grains accompanied with a small amount of Goss orientated grains were obtained. Compared with the conventional isothermal annealing, EPT effectively promoted the nucleation of Goss orientated recrystallization grains and suppressed swallowing of Goss orientated grains by other oriented grains due to both short treatment time and fast cooling rate of EPT, which was the main reason for EPT induced Goss orientated grains. EPT can work as a new heat treatment process for silicon steel to simultaneously obtain Goss orientated as well as fine and uniform grains, indicating the advantages of high efficiency, low energy consumption and low cost.