The effect of easy axis misorientation on the low induction hysteresis properties of non-oriented electrical steels

•NOES samples subjected to cold rolling and annealing were characterized.•A new parameter related to easy axis misorientation was created.•NOES orientation and misorientation were linked to loss and coercivity data.

The coercivity and hysteresis losses of non-oriented electrical steels (NOES) are determined by metallurgical parameters evolved during their manufacturing process. Although the links between grain size, inclusion content, orientation and these magnetic properties are well established, the effects of misorientation, especially with respect to the magnetic easy axis, are mostly unexplored. From this work examining NOES samples with “typical” grain size and inclusion distributions, but with texture variations induced by lab processing, the major factors determining the coercivity and hysteresis losses were limited to the magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy (Ea) and EAM, a newly created easy axis misorientation parameter. It is believed that Ea is a measure of the contribution of domain rotation processes, while EAM is a representation of the ability of the sample to nucleate reverse magnetic domains. The utilization of EAM allows for a better understanding of the influence of metallurgical parameters on the magnetic properties, especially for samples with large differences in processing and texture.