Influence of crystal orientation distribution on anisotropy of magnetostriction and magnetocrystalline energy in Fe-Si steel

Crystalline texture is often the cause of the anisotropy of the magnetostriction and the magnetocrystalline energy in polycrystalline materials. Anisotropy of these properties with respect to the specimen reference frame has been described using coefficients of a series expansion of the crystal orientation distribution function and single-crystal constants characterizing magnetocrystalline anisotropy and magnetostriction. Two-dimensional computer drawings can be generated characterizing the anisotropy of the magnetostriction strain in the specimen after the saturation field is applied in any arbitrary direction of the specimen. Average magnetocrystalline energy can be also similarly characterized. The methods have been illustrated by experiments done on Fe-Si steel. Texture has been studied using neutron diffraction and analyzed with the aid of three dimensional orientation distribution functions. Magnetic torque measurements and magnetostriction measurements have been made and the results agree with the prediction of the model.