Neutron Diffraction Texture Analysis of Grain-Oriented Steel Sheets

Abstract

Our laboratory developed and tested experimental and calculation techniques for quantitative texture analysis based on the ODF combined with the diffraction of thermal neutrons. In our work the texture of the Fe-3%Si sheets was investigated after different stages of their processing, i.e. hot-rolled strips, first cold rolling, first inter-annealing, second cold rolling, second annealing and secondary recrystallisation. The texture experiments were carried out on the KSN-2 diffractometer which is equipped with the TG-1 texture goniometer with automatic data collection for transmission and reflection geometry. TODFND (the cubic symmetry of the crystals and orthorhombic symmetry of the specimen) was used and the ODF values were obtained together with all texture characteristics (pole figures, inverse pole figures, ODF - f (g) values, fibre texture with <110> and <001> axis parallel to rolling direction, parameters of the ideal orientations (HKL)<uvw>, texture index J, volume fraction coefficient f. The comparison of the texture parameters of the six samples with the different technologic history is given and the magnetic anisotropy of all measured samples was determined by means of the quantitative texture analysis (ODF-the matrix Cl nµ) for all samples. Results achieved in our study confirm that the quantitative texture analysis in connection with neutron diffraction can help to improve the technology of the preparation of oriented magnetic steel sheets.