Stress dependent vector magnetic properties in electrical steel

The dependence of macroscopic magnetic properties on applied and residual stresses is promising for development of new magnetic non-destructive evaluation techniques in ferrous materials. The reliability of AC magnetometry, in determining the effect of strain on magnetic macroscopic parameters, is evaluated against scalar and vector Vibrating Sample Magnetometer measurements on strained electrical steel samples after unloading. Hysteresis loops have been measured at 0, 30, 45, 60 and 90 to the direction of the applied stress. Vector magnetic properties reveal a stress-related anisotropy component, which increases with strain and deteriorates after fracture. The effect of residual stress on the saturation and remanent magnetization, as well as the differential susceptibility, is discussed with respect to data from AC magnetometry at 0.1 Hz. The results of the latter are representative of the magnetic configuration of the material under test and make it a promising candidate for NDE applications in steels.