The impact of niobium on the microstructure, texture and magnetic properties of strip-cast grain oriented silicon steel

•Grain-oriented silicon steel with Nb addition was produced by strip casting.•The impact of Nb on microstructure, texture and precipitation was elucidated.•Homogeneous and fine NbN was obtained and exhibited strong inhibition force.•Complete secondary recrystallization microstructure and high permeability was obtained. We elucidate here the impact of niobium in ultra-low carbon grain oriented electrical steel (GOES) in terms of microstructure, texture, precipitation and magnetic properties that was processed by twin roll strip casting. Coarse and complex MnS+NbN precipitates, and fine NbN were nucleated at the grain boundaries and in the interior of the grain in the as-cast strip, which contributed to a small degree of grain refinement together with relatively random texture, and AlN precipitation was suppressed during the strip casting process. NbN continuously precipitated during the entire process and exhibited high stability during the reheating cycle, which provided stronger inhibiting force in comparison to AlN precipitates. As a consequence, fine and homogeneous inhibitors were obtained in the primary annealed sheet in the presence of Nb under cold rolling and annealing parameters used in the present study. On considering the effect of NbN particles or Nb in solution on the deformation and recrystallization behavior, the primary annealed Nb-containing sheet exhibited significantly more homogeneous microstructure in relation to Nb-free GOES, with grain size in the range of ∼8–12μm, and was characterized by relatively more pronounced γ-fiber and weak Goss texture, beneficial for the abnormal growth of Goss grains. Furthermore, Nb-containing GOES experienced complete abnormal growth during secondary recrystallization annealing, such that the enhanced magnetic induction (B8 as high as 1.88T) was obtained. In summary, the present study underscores that NbN can be used as an effective inhibitor in ultra-low carbon grain oriented electrical steel using strip casting technology.