Magnetic induction and surface segregation in thin-gauged 3% Si steel

A correlation between magnetic induction and surface phenomena has been investigated in a 3% Si steel 0.1 mm thick. During final annealing at several temperatures, the saturation level in magnetic induction increased with increasing final annealing temperature, and reached 1.93 T after final annealing at 1300 degrees C for 3.9 ks. This is attributed to the formation of complete (110)[001] Goss texture. During final annealing, the magnetic induction of the thin-gauged 3% Si strip was inversely proportional to the sulfur concentration on the surface. The surface segregation of sulfur occurred after a critical time the silicon concentration on the surface dropped to the level obtained from the ct-iron matrix containing 3% Si. The drop in silicon level on the thin-gauged strip surface is due to the volatile silicon monoxide, which arises from the reaction between the silicon dioxide and the silicon segregated, or between the silicon segregated and the oxygen from the high vacuum condition. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(98)41511-1].