Thermomechanical processing of high Si-steel (up to 6.3% Si)

Good properties for magnetostriction and hysteresis losses are obtained in steel with 6.5% Si, making high-Si steels interesting in electrical applications. A research program is described to evaluate the possibility to produce high-silicon steel up to 6.5% Si using an appropriate hot rolling program followed by cold rolling. A final thickness between 0.50 and 0.40 mm should be obtained. Thermomechanical processing of high silicon steel (up to 6.3% Si) by hot rolling appears to be possible whenever special conditions of temperature and rolling are maintained. The texture and microstructure of the materials are described. Magnetic properties of some annealed cold rolled samples were also measured.