Transformation Delay and Texture Memory Effect of Columnar Grained Cast Slab in Low Grades Non-oriented Electrical Steels

Abstract

The cast slab of low grades non-oriented electrical steels experiences twice diffusional solid phase transformation and demonstrates the features of strong morphological memory referring to columnar structure and texture memory referring to the preferred <100> texture at room temperature. In this paper, electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), quasi-insitu observation of heating samples, and dilatometry are used to study and analyze the two kinds of memory phenomena. The results show that the cast slab consists of about 70% coarse columnar grains and 30% small equiaxed grains. Many small equiaxed grains show Σ3 misorientations with columnar grains indicating K-S orientation relationship obeyed during phase transformation. Coarse columnar grains show a typical <100>||growing axis orientation which is the same as solidified columnar grains. The quasi-insitu observation shows that transformation of columnar grained ferrite to austenite is very sluggish and columnar grained ferrite can still be seen even at a superheating degree of 176°C for 1 hour. Dilatometry measurement indicates that the starting transformation temperatures for a columnar-grain-dominant sample and a small-equiaxed-grain-dominant sample are similar, whereas their transformation extents are quite different with columnar grained sample showing a low dilatational amount due to insufficient transformation. It is most likely that the coarse columnar grains in cast slab are retained and untransformed high temperature δ-ferrite are not subjected to twice complete transformations. These retaining columnar grains in low grades of electrical steels can be used to improve magnetic properties through optimizing processing parameters.