Effect of copper precipitates on mechanical and magnetic properties of Cu-bearing non-oriented electrical steel processed by twin-roll strip casting

Microstructure, texture, precipitation, mechanical and magnetic properties in a twin-roll strip casting Cu-bearing non-oriented electrical steel were studied by a combination of X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD), optical microscopy (OM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results indicated that the average grain size and main texture component were not affected by aging time, while the size and crystal structure of copper precipitates were influenced. In the peak strength condition, copper precipitation contributed ~ 207 MPa to the yield strength of the final product without deteriorating the magnetic properties. In summary, a non-oriented electrical steel with excellent mechanical and magnetic properties was successfully processed via twin-roll strip casting.