Magnetic properties of decarburized steels: An investigation of the effects of grain size and carbon content

The effects of carbon on the magnetic properties of steel have been of great interest over the years both because of the great commercial importance of steel and because it is known that carbon is the most important single factor affecting the magnetic properties of steel. Slight changes in the amount and distribution of the carbon content can completely mask any changes due to grain size, stress, and the effects of other impurities. The magnetic properties of several specimens of steel in which the carbon content has been deliberately reduced are investigated so that the more subtle effects on magnetic properties caused by these other factors can be determined. The results presented include magnetic Barkhausen measurements, magnetoacoustic emission measurements, and magnetization data. The grain structure of each specimen was closely monitored and the resulting magnetization data correlated with the microstructure.