Comparison between strong η-fiber-oriented high-silicon steel and grain-oriented high-silicon steel on magnetic properties

Two kinds of 0.23 mm-thick high-silicon steel sheets with strong η-fiber texture and Goss texture were produced by rolling methods. Their final microstructures, textures and magnetic properties were analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) and classical loss separation. The results showed that the core loss of strong η-fiber-oriented high-silicon steel was lower than that of grain-oriented high-silicon steel at frequencies ranging from 40 Hz to 20 kHz, and their differences in core loss were more obvious at 400 Hz and higher frequencies. The hysteresis losses and anomalous losses of the strong η-fiber-oriented high-silicon steel were lower than that of grain-oriented high-silicon steel at frequencies ranging from 40 Hz to 1000 Hz, and the losses were closely related to final cleanness and grain sizes. A few stable remained nitride precipitates increased the hysteresis loss of the grain-oriented high-silicon steel. The effect of decreasing grain sizes on decreasing core losses at high frequencies was significant, and the strong η-fiber-oriented high-silicon steel was more suitable for high frequency applications because of smaller grain sizes compared to the grain-oriented high-silicon steel.