Effect of surface segregation of sulfur on recrystallization kinetics in 3% Si-Fe alloy strip

Effects of bulk content of sulfur on sulfur segregation and surface energy induced recrystallization kinetics have been investigated in two alloys con taining 6 and 30 ppm sulfur. During final annealing under a high vacuum, th e convex profile in sulfur concentration, which is attributed to sulfur seg regation and evaporation, corresponded to the trough in magnetic induction, irrespective of bulk sulfur content. During annealing, surface energy indu ced secondary and tertiary recrystallization were in turn observed. While t he grain boundary pinning effect of segregated sulfur was very weak in the alloy containing 6 ppm sulfur, the grain boundaries in the other alloy were strongly pinned by the segregated sulfur. Under the relatively higher sulf ur atmosphere appearing in the alloy containing 30 ppm sulfur, the growth r ate of {100} grain was absolutely governed by the Zener term related to the segregation concentration of sulfur. Through such a recrystallization proc ess, a complete {110}/[001] Goss texture was formed, and magnetic induction higher than 1.9 T was obtained in both alloys after final annealing for 14 .4 ks. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(99)16008-0].