Grain-oriented electrical steel sheet and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

The present invention provides a grain-oriented electrical steel sheet with reduced iron loss over a wide range of sheet thickness by providing a grain-oriented electrical steel sheet with an actually measured sheet thickness t (mm) that includes a closure domain region extending linearly in a direction from 60 to 120 with respect to the rolling direction on a surface of the steel sheet, the closure domain region being formed periodically at a spacing s (mm) in the rolling direction, such that h74.9t+39.1 (0.26t), h897t174.7 (t>0.26), (wh)/(s1000)12.6t+7.9 (t>0.22), and (wh)/(s1000)40.6t+14.1 (t0.22), where h (m) is the depth and w (m) is the width of the closure domain region.

Claims

1. A grain-oriented electrical steel sheet with an actually measured sheet thickness t (mm), comprising a closure domain region extending linearly in a direction from 60 to 120 with respect to a rolling direction on a surface of the steel sheet, the closure domain region corresponding to a region of induced strain and being formed periodically at a spacing s (mm) in the rolling direction, wherein
w230 m,
h168t+29.0 (0.26t),
h1890t418.7 (t>0.26),
(wh)/(s1000)12.3t+6.9 (t>0.22), and
(wh)/(s1000)56.1t+16.5 (t0.22), where h (m) is a depth and w (m) is a width of the closure domain region, s (mm) is the spacing, and t (mm) is the actually measured sheet thickness.

2. A method for manufacturing the grain-oriented electrical steel sheet with an actually measured sheet thickness t (mm) of claim 1, comprising forming a closure domain region extending linearly in a direction from 60 to 120 with respect to a rolling direction on a surface of the steel sheet, the closure domain region corresponding to a region of induced stain and being formed periodically at a spacing s (mm) in the rolling direction, by using an electron beam emitted at an acceleration voltage Va (kV), wherein
w230 m,
h168t+29.0 (0.26t),
h1890t418.7 (t>0.26),
(wh)/(s1000)12.3t+6.9 (t>0.22), and
(wh)/(s1000)56.1t+16.5 (t0.22), where h (m) is a depth and w (m) is a width of the closure domain region, s (mm) is the spacing, and t (mm) is the actually measured sheet thickness, and
Va580t+2706.7P (0.26t),
Va6980t13906.7P (t>0.26), and
P>45, where P is irradiation energy per unit scanning length/beam diameter (J/m/mm).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the beam diameter of the electron beam is 400 m or less.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein a LaB.sub.6 cathode is used as an irradiation source of the electron beam.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein a LaB.sub.6 cathode is used as an irradiation source of the electron beam.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates the effect of the strain ratio on the iron loss after electron beam irradiation of material with a sheet thickness of 0.27 mm;

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates the relationship between the width w and depth h of the closure domain occurring in the portions irradiated by the laser and electron beam;

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates the relationship between irradiation energy per unit length and the amount of change in hysteresis loss when varying the sheet thickness;

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates the effect of the depth of the portion where the closure domain is formed on the rate of improvement in eddy current loss with respect to the eddy current loss when the depth of the portion where the closure domain is formed is 45 m;

(6) FIG. 5 illustrates the effect of a volume index for the portion where the closure domain is formed (widthdepth of the portion where the closure domain is formed/RD line spacing) on the rate of improvement in hysteresis loss with respect to the hysteresis loss when the volume index for the portion where the closure domain is formed is 1.1 m;

(7) FIG. 6 illustrates the depth of the portion where the closure domain is formed that is necessary to set the rate of improvement in eddy current loss to 3% or 5% (a more preferable condition);

(8) FIG. 7 illustrates the volume index for the portion where the closure domain is formed that is necessary to set the rate of hysteresis deterioration (absolute value of rate of improvement) to 5% or 3% (a more preferable condition);

(9) FIG. 8 illustrates the effect of irradiation energy per unit scanning length on the width of the portion where the closure domain is formed;

(10) FIG. 9 illustrates the effect of the beam diameter on the width of the portion where the closure domain is formed;

(11) FIG. 10 illustrates the effect of P (irradiation energy per unit scanning length/beam diameter) on the depth of the portion where the closure domain is formed;

(12) FIG. 11 illustrates the effect of the acceleration voltage on the depth of the portion where the closure domain is formed;

(13) FIG. 12 illustrates a linear closure domain, formed at the time of emission of the electron beam, that segments the main magnetic domain; and

(14) FIG. 13 is a schematic representation of an observational image of the closure domain under a Kerr effect microscope.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

(15) The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments.

(16) The present invention provides a grain-oriented electrical steel sheet, and a preferable method for manufacturing the grain-oriented electrical steel sheet, that has a magnetic domain refined by irradiation with an electron beam.

(17) An insulating coating may be formed on the electrical steel sheet irradiated with an electron beam, yet omitting the insulating coating poses no problem. As illustrated in FIG. 12, a linearly extending closure domain that segments the main magnetic domain is formed in the portion irradiated by the electron beam. The thickness of the grain-oriented electrical steel sheet used in the present invention is preferably, in industrial terms, approximately 0.1 mm to 0.35 mm. The present invention may be applied to any conventionally known grain-oriented electrical steel sheet, for example regardless of whether inhibitor components are included.

(18) The grain-oriented electrical steel sheet of the present invention preferably has a linearly extending closure domain shape, as described below. Note that simply referring to a closure domain below designates a region with a linearly extending closure domain shape. Also note that a unit adjustment term has been included in the coefficient for the letters into which numerical values are substituted in the equations below. Therefore, the numerical values may be substituted as non-dimensional values, ignoring units.

(19) [Volume of Portion where the Closure Domain is Formed]

(20) As illustrated in FIG. 7, the volume of the portion where the closure domain is formed is represented as a volume index for the portion where the closure domain is formed that is necessary to set the rate of hysteresis deterioration (absolute value of rate of improvement) to 5% or 3% as follows:
(wh)/(s1000)12.6t+7.9(t>0.22), and
(wh)/(s1000)40.6t+14.1(t0.22),
and more preferably
(wh)/(s1000)12.3t+6.9(t>0.22), and
(wh)/(s1000)56.1t+16.5(t0.22),
where h (m) is the depth of the closure domain, w (m) is the width of the closure domain, s (mm) is the RD line spacing, and t (mm) is the actually measured thickness of the steel sheet (the same letters being used below).

(21) Since strain is introduced, the portion where the closure domain is formed is not preferable from the perspective of reducing hysteresis loss, and the volume thereof is preferably small. The volume of the portion where the closure domain is formed is proportional to the value yielded by dividing the area of the closure domain shape in a rolling direction cross-section parallel to the sheet thickness direction, obtained by observing a sheet thickness cross-section in the rolling direction (i.e. the area of the cross-sectional shape), by the spacing of the closure domain formed periodically in the rolling direction (RD line spacing: s). Therefore, in the present invention, this area of the cross-sectional shape/RD line spacing is used as a volume index.

(22) Considering how this area of the cross-sectional shape can vary along the line of the electron beam irradiation, the average area is preferably used. When variation in the area of the cross-sectional shape is large, it is possible to make measurement of only the closure domain shape observed in a sheet thickness cross-section in the rolling direction for a characteristic portion. For example, in test material irradiated with an electron beam in a dot pattern in the transverse direction (direction orthogonal to the rolling direction), the closure domain shape in a dot-centered portion may differ from the closure domain shape between dots, yet in this case, the average of the widths and depths yielded by observing cross-sections are preferably used.

(23) [Depth of Portion where the Closure Domain is Formed]

(24) As illustrated in FIG. 6, as conditions to set the rate of improvement in eddy current loss to 3% or 5%, it is preferred for the depth h of the portion where the closure domain is formed to satisfy the following relationships (rate of improvement in eddy current loss: 3%) with the actually measured thickness t (mm) of the steel sheet:
h74.9t+39.1(0.26t), and
h897t174.7(t>0.26)
and more preferably the following relationships (rate of improvement in eddy current loss: 5%):
h168t+29.0(0.26t), and
h1890t418.7(t>0.26).

(25) In the present invention, the shape of the cross-sectional closure domain can be measured with a Kerr effect microscope. The (100) face of the crystal is set as the observation face. The reason is that if the observation face is misaligned from the (100) face, a different domain structure is more easily expressed due to a surface magnetic pole occurring on the observation face, making it more difficult to observe the desired closure domain.

(26) When the crystal orientation is accumulated in the ideal Goss orientation, a rolling direction cross-section parallel to the sheet thickness direction is rotated 45 with the rolling direction as the axis of rotation to yield the observation face, and the shape of the closure domain in a rolling direction cross-section parallel to the sheet thickness direction is calculated by conversion from the observed shape of the closure domain. FIG. 13 is a schematic representation of an observational image under a Kerr effect microscope.

(27) Since the region of the closure domain shape corresponds to the region of induced strain, a minute strain distribution in which a closure domain is formed may be observed by x-ray or electron beam and quantified.

(28) As described above, a low closure domain volume is good, yet for a large sheet thickness, deterioration of hysteresis loss due to electron beam irradiation becomes more pronounced, making an even smaller closure domain preferable. Therefore, in the present invention, the sheet thickness is included as a parameter for the appropriate closure domain volume.

(29) As the depth of the closure domain in the sheet thickness direction is larger, the closure domain is more advantageous for improving eddy current loss. For a large sheet thickness, however, domain refinement is difficult, perhaps because the domain wall energy is large. Accordingly, in order to obtain a sufficient magnetic domain refining effect, it is preferred to form a deeper closure domain.

(30) [Electron Beam Generation Conditions]

(31) The following describes the electron beam generation conditions preferred in the present invention.

(32) [Acceleration Voltage Va and P (Irradiation Energy Per Unit Scanning Length/Beam Diameter)]
Va580t+2706.7P(0.26t)
Va6980t13906.7P(t>0.26)

(33) It is preferred for the acceleration voltage Va (kV) of the electron beam and P (J/m/mm) in embodiments of the present invention to satisfy the above expressions. The reason is that the above-described depth of the portion where the closure domain is formed can be adjusted easily.

(34) As the acceleration voltage is higher, the penetration depth of the electrons in the steel increases, which is advantageous for a deeper closure domain shape. Furthermore, high acceleration voltage is preferable for obtaining a high magnetic domain refining effect in thick sheet material. The depth of the portion where the closure domain is formed also depends, however, on the irradiation energy per unit scanning length/beam diameter (P). When P is large, a narrow region is irradiated with extremely high-density energy. Hence, the electrons penetrate more easily in the sheet thickness direction. For this reason, when P is large, the lower limit on the acceleration voltage decreases.

(35) [P>45 (J/m/mm)]

(36) When the irradiation energy per unit scanning length/beam diameter: P is excessively small, i.e. when the irradiation energy is low to begin with, or when the irradiation energy density is low since both the irradiation energy and the beam diameter are large, then the steel sheet cannot be provided with strain, and the effect of reducing iron loss is lessened. Therefore, in the present invention, P is preferably set to exceed 45. While there is no restriction on the upper limit of P, an excessively large P significantly damages the coating and makes it impossible to ensure an anti-corrosion property. Therefore, the upper limit preferably is approximately 300.

(37) [RD Line Spacing: 3 mm to 12 mm]

(38) The steel sheet is irradiated with the electron beam linearly from one edge in the width direction to the other edge, and the irradiation is repeated periodically in the rolling direction. The spacing (line spacing) s is preferably 3 mm to 12 mm. The reason is that if the line spacing is narrow, the strain region formed in the steel becomes excessively large, and iron loss (hysteresis loss) worsens. On the other hand, if the line spacing is too wide, the magnetic domain refining effect lessens no matter how much the closure domain extends in the depth direction, and iron loss does not improve. Accordingly, in the present invention, the RD line spacing s is preferably set in a range of 3 mm to 12 mm.

(39) [Line Angle: 60 to 120]

(40) When irradiating the steel sheet linearly from one edge in the width direction to the other edge, the direction from the starting point to the ending point is set to be from 60 to 120 with respect to the rolling direction.

(41) The reason is that if the line angle is less than 60 or more than 120, the irradiation width increases, causing a drop in productivity. Moreover, the strain region grows large, causing hysteresis loss to worsen.

(42) In the present invention, linear refers not only to a straight line, but also to a dotted line or a discontinuous line, and the line angle refers to the angle between the rolling direction and a straight line connecting the starting point with the ending point. In the case of a dotted line or a discontinuous line, the length of the portion not irradiated with the beam between dots along the line or between continuous line segments is preferably 0.8 mm or less. The reason is that if irradiated region is excessively small, the effect of improving the eddy current loss may be lessened.

(43) [Processing Chamber Pressure: 3 Pa or Less]

(44) If the processing chamber pressure is high, electrons emitted from the electron gun scatter, and the energy of the electrons forming the closure domain is reduced. Therefore, the magnetic domain of the steel sheet is not sufficiently refined, and iron loss properties do not improve. Accordingly, in the present invention, the processing chamber pressure is preferably set to 3 Pa or less. In terms of practical operation, the lower limit on the processing chamber pressure is approximately 0.001 Pa.

(45) [Beam Diameter: 400 m or Less]

(46) The closure domain width and the beam diameter are correlated, and as the beam diameter is smaller, the closure domain width tends to decrease. Accordingly, a small (narrow) beam diameter is good, with a beam diameter of 400 m or less being preferable. If the beam diameter is too small, however, the steel substrate and coating at the irradiated portion are damaged, dramatically decreasing the insulation properties of the steel sheet. Furthermore, in order to significantly reduce the beam diameter, the WD (distance from the focusing coil to the steel sheet) must be shortened, yet doing so causes the beam diameter to vary excessively in the deflection direction (sheet transverse direction) of the beam. The quality of the steel sheet thus easily becomes uneven in the width direction. Accordingly, the beam diameter is preferably 150 m or more.

(47) [Material for Source of Thermionic Emission: LaB.sub.6]

(48) In general, a LaB.sub.6 cathode is known to be advantageous for outputting a high-intensity beam, and since the beam diameter is easily focused, LaB.sub.6 is preferably used as the emission source for the electron beam in the present invention.

(49) [Regarding Beam Focusing]

(50) When irradiating by deflecting in the width direction, the focusing conditions (focusing current and the like) are of course preferably adjusted in advance so that the beam is uniform in the width direction.

(51) In the present invention, typical, well-known methods suffice for adjustment of conditions other than those listed above, such as the size of the portion where the closure domain is formed, the irradiation energy, the beam diameter, and the like.

EXAMPLES

(52) In the grain-oriented electrical steel sheet used in the present examples, materials with W.sub.17/50 of 0.80 W/kg to 0.90 W/kg (t: 0.19 mm, 0.26 mm) and 0.90 W/kg to 1.00 W/kg (t: 0.285 mm) were irradiated with an electron beam. The electron beam had a line angle of 90 and a processing chamber pressure of 0.1 Pa. Table 1 lists the other irradiation conditions and the closure domain shape after irradiation.

(53) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Irradiation Closure Closure Sheet Line Beam energy per domain domain thickness Beam cathode Acceleration spacing diameter unit length P width depth No. (mm) material voltage (kV) (mm) (m) (J/m) (J/m/mm) (m) (m) 1 0.26 LaB.sub.6 60 4.0 320 17 53 250 50 2 0.26 LaB.sub.6 150 3.5 320 18 55 255 65 3 0.26 LaB.sub.6 150 6.0 320 21 66 270 70 4 0.26 LaB.sub.6 150 3.5 350 15 43 230 55 5 0.26 LaB.sub.6 60 5.0 350 23 66 275 65 6 0.26 LaB.sub.6 60 6.0 320 24 75 280 75 7 0.285 LaB.sub.6 70 5.0 240 16 68 230 65 8 0.285 LaB.sub.6 150 6.0 350 19 54 270 65 9 0.285 LaB.sub.6 150 5.0 260 19 73 250 85 10 0.285 LaB.sub.6 70 4.0 310 20 64 270 65 11 0.285 LaB.sub.6 60 6.0 230 20 87 275 85 12 0.285 LaB.sub.6 150 6.0 200 18 88 250 100 13 0.285 LaB.sub.6 150 6.0 140 15 107 155 120 14 0.285 W (Tungsten) 80 6.0 420 21 51 265 45 15 0.285 W (Tungsten) 150 6.0 240 20 83 265 90 16 0.26 LaB.sub.6 70 5.0 420 28 67 270 65 17 0.19 LaB.sub.6 70 5.0 290 22 76 265 65 18 0.19 LaB.sub.6 30 5.0 360 18 50 280 45

(54) Next, the closure domain shape of these steel sheets, No. 1 to 18, was evaluated according to the assessments below, and the iron loss W.sub.17/50 was measured. The measurement results and the like are shown in Table 2. Note that the depth and the width of the closure domain are respectively h (m) and w (m), and the RD line spacing is s (mm). The iron loss is the average of measurements for 15 sheets under each set of conditions.

(55) Assessment 1:
Volume: (wh)/(s1000)12.6t+7.9(t:0.26 mm,0.285 mm)
(wh)/(s1000)40.6t+14.1(t:0.19 mm)
Depth: h74.9t+39.1 (actually measured sheet thickness (t): 0.19 mm,0.26 mm)
Depth: h897t174.7 (actually measured sheet thickness (t): 0.285 mm)

(56) Assessment 2:
Volume: (wh)/(s1000)12.3t+6.9(t:0.26 mm,0.285 mm)
(wh)/(s1000)56.1t+16.5(t:0.19 mm)
Depth: h168t+29.0 (actually measured sheet thickness (t): 0.19 mm,0.26 mm)
Depth: h1890t418.7 (actually measured sheet thickness (t): 0.285 mm)

(57) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 P Va Volume Volume Depth Depth Overall Overall W17/50 No. assessment assessment assessment 1 assessment 2 assessment 1 assessment 2 assessment 1 assessment 2 (W/kg) Notes 1 pass fail pass pass fail fail fail fail 0.751 Comparative example 2 pass pass fail fail pass fail fail fail 0.748 Comparative example 3 pass pass pass pass pass fail pass fail 0.737 Inventive example 4 fail pass pass pass fail fail fail fail 0.744 Comparative example 5 pass pass pass pass pass fail pass fail 0.739 Inventive example 6 pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass 0.735 Inventive example 7 pass fail pass pass fail fail fail fail 0.855 Comparative example 8 pass fail pass pass fail fail fail fail 0.858 Comparative example 9 pass pass pass fail pass fail pass fail 0.849 Inventive example 10 pass fail fail fail fail fail fail fail 0.858 Comparative example 11 pass pass pass fail pass fail pass fail 0.849 Inventive example 12 pass pass pass fail pass fail pass fail 0.844 Inventive example 13 pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass 0.836 Inventive example 14 pass fail pass pass fail fail fail fail 0.851 Comparative example 15 pass pass pass fail pass fail pass fail 0.848 Inventive example 16 pass pass pass pass pass fail pass fail 0.740 Inventive example 17 pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass 0.668 Inventive example 18 pass fail pass pass fail fail fail fail 0.682 Comparative example

(58) Table 2 shows that applying the present technique yields a grain-oriented electrical steel sheet with low iron loss, such that W.sub.17/50 is 0.68 W/kg or less (t: 0.19 mm), 0.74 W/kg or less (t: 0.26 mm), or 0.85 W/kg or less (t: 0.285 mm).