A model concerning the environmental factors that modify the nanocrystallization of current-annealed samples

Abstract

A new mathematical model to explain the temperature distribution along the width of current-annealed samples is proposed. The model shows that the heat exchange conditions (radiation and free or forced convection) during annealing can dramatically change the crystallization of the sample. To demonstrate the theoretical results, three Vitroperm® samples were annealed and analyzed magnetically and crystallographically by means of transmission electron microscopy.

Keywords:

• current annealing
• nanocrystallization
• heat exchange

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Dr. G. Herzer from Vacuumschmelze® who kindly provided the samples, and also to Dr. M.P. Valles for the TEM photographs. This work has been financed by project OPTOMAG-MANTIS ESP2005-05278.