Electrical steel with improved "core loss" due increasing of resistivity and low magnetostriction by Al and Si deposition on surface and subsequent solid state diffusion (ELEXIR)

FeSi steels are used as magnetic core in Electrical machines (motors, generators and transformers). An increasing of their electric resistivity would be advantageous for power loss as heat dissipation during the magnetization process. A research project is proposed, where such increasing of resistivity is realized by the deposition on the surface of the steel, already at final thickness, of increasing resistivity element such as Si and Al, and subsequent diffusion annealing to homogenize the distribution of such elements. The increasing of Al and Si concentration will also decrease the magnetostriction related to the noise produced by transformers.

After a first laboratory phase, where the amount of the diffused elements as well as the microstructure and texture of the substrate are optimized an industrial feasibility study is proposed in order to understand the actual possibility of industrialization.