Abstract
This study focuses on the microstructure evolution of non-oriented silicon steel for the drive motor iron core of new energy vehicles. The Fe-3.0% Si non-oriented silicon steel hot-rolled bands were taken as the research objects and were normalized at 700, 800 and 900 °C for 3 and 10 min. The influence of low-temperature normalization process on the microstructure, texture and mechanical properties was studied. The results show that the bands normalized at 700 and 800 °C inherit the gradient microstructure and texture characteristics of the initial hot-rolled band. The surface layer consists of homogeneous and fine recrystallized grains, the central layer consists of elongated deformed grains with γ-fiber and α-fiber textures and the subsurface layer has mixed grain structure with strong Goss texture. When the normalizing temperature is increased to 900 °C, the normalized band is completely recrystallized, and the gradient structure and texture are significantly weakened. During the normalizing process, the θ-fiber oriented grains in the subsurface mainly nucleate at the grain boundaries of the α*-fiber and <110> //ND matrix grains, and the <110> //ND oriented grains mainly nucleate at the grain boundaries of Goss and {110} <115> deformed matrix grains. The θ-fiber oriented grains in the central layer mainly nucleate at the grain boundaries of {001} <110>, γ-fiber and {114} <481> matrix grains, the α-fiber oriented grains nucleate in the {111} <110> and α-fiber deformed matrix grains, the nucleation of α*-fiber grains is related to the α-fiber deformed matrix grains. After normalizing at 900 °C, θ-fiber and α*-fiber grains have growth advantages, resulting in strong θ-fiber and α*-fiber textures. As the normalizing temperature increases, the gradient structure of the normalized microstructure is gradually weakened, thus leading to the decrease in plastic deformation ability.
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Data Availability
Data will be made available on request.
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Acknowledgments
This paper is financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (52205385 and 52205403), the Open Research Fund from the State Key Laboratory of Rolling and Automation, Northeastern University (2021RALKFKT002), Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (LQ23E050008), Ningbo Science and Technology Major Project (2022Z009 and 2023Z011) and Ningbo Yongjiang Talent Introduction Program (2023A-157-G).
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Cheng Xu helped in preliminary investigation, method proposed, data collation and writing—original draft. Haijie Xu helped in concept proposed, resource provided and writing—review. Xuedao Shu worked in supervision and guidance, and writing—editing. Xubeng Lu worked in software simulation. Lulan Jiang helped in part of the ideas. Zixuan Li helped in data validation. Yuanxiang Zhang contributed to experimental help.
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Xu, C., Xu, H., Shu, X. et al. Effect of Normalizing Treatment on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Non-oriented Fe-3.0% Si Steel. J. of Materi Eng and Perform (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-024-09777-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-024-09777-w