Based on a large number of experimental results, the reason why small-sized Goss grains can engulf surrounding large-sized grains and eventually grow abnormally was analyzed using the enhanced elastic anisotropy of ferrite at high temperatures as well as the significant molar volume difference between ferrite and inhibitors. This study entitled “Secondary recrystallization behaviors and the formation mechanism of strong Goss textures of oriented electrical steels” is published online by Frontiers of Materials Science in 2026.

The production of oriented electrical steels has a history of nearly one hundred years. Although the high-quality oriented electrical steels with Goss grains as the main texture component have been widely produced, it has not been clear why small-sized Goss grains can engulf surrounding large-sized grains and eventually grow abnormally during the secondary recrystallization process.

A large number of existing experimental phenomena and data were organized and systematically analyzed. Starting from the obvious molar volume difference between ferrite and inhibitors, as well as the increasing elastic anisotropy of ferrite with temperature rise, the abnormal growth behavior of only Goss grains was analyzed and studied. The difference in molar volume makes it difficult for inhibitor particles to coarsen due to compressive stress during precipitation, thereby the particle density can be hardly reduced. It has been indicated that the significant molar volume difference between ferrite and inhibitors results in a significantly lower particle density in the layer near free surface of the steel sheet while maintaining a high density of inhibitor particles in the central layer. Therefore, the difference in the inhibitory effect of inhibitor particles on grain growth results in preferential growth of grains near the surface layer. As the temperature increases, the elastic anisotropy of ferrite becomes increasingly apparent, resulting in a significantly lower density of inhibitor particles in the surface non-Goss grains than that in the surface non-Goss grains. As a result, when the surface grains grow, the migration speed of grain boundaries towards the non-Goss grain side is higher than that towards the Goss grain side. Therefore, even smaller Goss grains can gradually engulf larger grains in the surrounding area, forming a secondary recrystallization phenomenon where only surface Goss grains can grow abnormally.

For the first time, the secondary recrystallization process and related mechanisms of oriented electrical steel have been clarified from the perspective of elastic interaction, providing important references and foundations for ensuring the stability and further improvement of the technical quality of oriented electrical steel products, as well as developing new products.
DOI
10.1007/s11706-026-0759-y