To avoid the unfavorable effect of precipitates on magnetic properties,low addition of 0.16 wt%NbC was employed in Fe_(82.5)Ga_(17.5)alloy,and 0.27 mm sheets were successfully prepared by a rolling process.Strong Goss texture was obtained in Fe-Ga sheets by two-stage annealing process.The sulfur annealing in quartz ampoules was made to produce the preferred growth of Goss texture,with a 51%increase in the observed saturation magnetostriction,from 87×10^(-6)in the Ar-annealed sheets to 132×10^(-6)in the S-annealed sheets.However,large amounts of S-rich and Nb-rich precipitates were formed in the S-annealed sheets.High-temperature annealing of the S-annealed sheets at 1,200℃under a flow hydrogenargon atmosphere could effectively eliminate the precipitates and promote the selective growth of(110)grains due to the low surface energy.Large grains(~2 cm)of secondary recrystallization were achieved in the final annealed sheets,with the maximum average saturation magnetostriction of 180×10^(-6).
