Texture formation under rolling and primary recrystallization in Fe86Ga14 alloy

Fe-Ga alloys possess the increased magnetostriction in comparison with the traditional magnetostrictive materials Fe-Co and Fe-Al and have a number of advantages before magnetostrictive materials based of rare earths. In literature, much attention is paid to structure of Fe81Ga19, as this alloy possesses the greatest magnetostriction in one-phase area. Important condition for achievement of the best functional properties in this material is creation of certain crystallographic texture. However, the substantial difficulty at manufacture of samples and products consists in a high brittleness of alloy at such content of gallium, for this reason the features of formation of crystallographic texture at deformation and recrystallization in this alloy are studied poorly. In this work, the attempt to study influence of various modes of rolling and annealing on structure and magnetic properties of Fe-Ga alloy with the smaller content of Ga is made. The structure and texture of primary recrystallization was studied by means of an electron back-scattering diffraction. Besides field dependences of magnetization were measured, and the amount of grains with the direction of easy magnetization in different samples was estimated by the value of magnetic induction at a defined value of magnetic field on a magnetization curve. The values of magnetostriction increased with increase of volume fraction of the components including the direction of easy magnetization of iron-gallium alloy. Absolute values of magnetostriction did not exceed 50 ppm that is at the level of values for traditional materials, but does not correspond to advantages in magnetostrictive behavior of iron-gallium alloys. Plastic deformation by hot and, especially cold rolling causes great difficulties in connection with a high brittleness of alloy even with the lower value of gallium concentration. Therefore, it is necessary to find new methods of a plastic deformation of alloy or to add the chemical elements improving plastic properties of material.