Fine-grained and cube-textured Si-steel sheet hoop by oxide-separator-induced decarburization

Summary form only given. Although the energy efficiency of electrical apparatus, such as motors and transformers, could be significantly improved by the use of electrical steel sheets with cube texture {100}<001>, applications of this kind of doubly-oriented steel to magnetic cores have been scarcely investigated. It has been found recently that a decarburizing annealing of a 3wt.%Si-1wt.%Mn-0.05wt.%C steel sheets with a SiO/sub 2/-containing separator gives rise to a remarkable evolution of the cube texture. In this process, neither inhibitors for grain growth, thinner thickness of steel sheets, nor cross-rolling is needed. In this paper, a hoop form of the cube-textured Si-steel sheets produced by this new method is introduced. The materials thus produced are evaluated in laboratory test, as well as by assembling a prototype motor.