Magnetic Properties of Electrical Steel Development

Electrical steel, a cornerstone of modern energy conversion, has evolved through tailored alloying, processing and microstructural control to deliver ever-improving magnetic performance. Central to these advances are two broad classes: grain-oriented steel, exhibiting exceptionally high permeability along a preferred crystallographic direction, and non-oriented steel, offering isotropic properties for rotating machines. Development has focused on minimising core losses—hysteresis and eddy current losses—while maximising saturation magnetisation and permeability. Alloying with silicon raises electrical resistivity and reduces magnetostriction, but introduces ordering phenomena that compromise ductility. Overcoming these challenges has driven innovations in rapid solidification, strip casting, controlled annealing and surface treatments. Texture engineering during hot and cold rolling, coupled with inhibitor-induced secondary recrystallisation, has yielded large Goss-oriented grains in transformer grades. Meanwhile, non-oriented steels have benefited from refined grain size and optimised sheet thickness to balance low losses with manufacturability. Recent efforts target high-silicon alloys for medium-frequency applications and novel deformation schemes to access desirable textures without loss of formability. The continuous interplay of fundamental understanding and industrial practice underpins global applications ranging from ultra-efficient transformers to compact electric motors in automotive and renewable-energy sectors.

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Magnetic Properties of Electrical Steel Development publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in magnetic properties of electrical steel development across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Grain-oriented electrical steel: Sheet steel processed to align large grains along the easy magnetisation axis, yielding very high permeability and low losses in one direction.

Non-oriented electrical steel: Steel with randomly oriented grains, offering uniform magnetic properties in all in-plane directions for rotating machinery.

Core loss: Total energy dissipation in magnetic steel during cyclic magnetisation, comprising hysteresis and eddy current contributions.

Texture: Preferred crystallographic orientation distribution in polycrystalline steel, controlled by rolling and annealing to optimise magnetic behaviour.

Magnetostriction: Strain induced in a ferromagnetic material during magnetisation, which can cause noise and additional losses if not minimised.

References

1. Review of Fe-6.5 wt%Si high silicon steel—A promising soft magnetic material for sub-kHz application. Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials (2019).
2. Mechanism of secondary recrystallization of Goss grains in grain-oriented electrical steel. Science and Technology of Advanced Materials (2017).
3. Review of Magnetic Properties and Texture Evolution in Non-Oriented Electrical Steels. Applied Sciences (2023).
4. Mechanical properties and crystallographic texture of non-oriented electrical steel processed by repetitive bending under tension. Materials Science and Engineering A (2022).