Secondary recrystallization of Goss texture in magnetostrictive Fe–Ga-based sheets

To avoid the unfavorable effect of precipitates on magnetic properties, low addition of 0.16 wt% NbC was employed in Fe 82.5 Ga 17.5 alloy, and 0.27 mm sheets were successfully prepared by a rolling process. Strong Goss texture was obtained in Fe–Ga sheets by two-stage annealing process. The sulfur annealing in quartz ampoules was made to produce the preferred growth of Goss texture, with a 51 % increase in the observed saturation magnetostriction, from 87 × 10 −6 in the Ar-annealed sheets to 132 × 10 −6 in the S-annealed sheets. However, large amounts of S-rich and Nb-rich precipitates were formed in the S-annealed sheets. High-temperature annealing of the S-annealed sheets at 1,200 °C under a flow hydrogen–argon atmosphere could effectively eliminate the precipitates and promote the selective growth of (110) grains due to the low surface energy. Large grains (~2 cm) of secondary recrystallization were achieved in the final annealed sheets, with the maximum average saturation magnetostriction of 180 × 10 −6 .