Papers by Author: Zuo Cheng Wang

Abstract: The effect of hot rolling temperature and reduction in ferrite region on the microstructure, texture and deep drawability of Ti-IF steel sheets were investigated. The results showed that after ferritic hot rolling and annealing, Ti-IF steel sheets developed uniform equiaxed ferrite grains and strong <111>//ND recrystallized fibers, the maximum r-value was 1.725 and good deep drawability was achieved. The deep drawability was improved with the decrease of ferritic hot rolling temperature, also enhanced with the increase of reduction in ferrite region. Texture analysis indicated that low hot rolling temperature and large reduction in ferrite region could increase the intensities of favorable {111}<112> and {554}<225> recrystallization textures and also reduce that of unfavorable {001}<110> recrystallization texture, therefore the r-value and deep drawability were enhanced.

Abstract: Microstructure and microtexture evolution during batch annealing of warm-rolled Ti-IF steel sheets were investigated in this paper. It was founded that α fiber texture and the relatively weak γ fiber texture were formed in warm-rolled and air-cooled Ti-IF steel sheets. In the early stage of recrystallization, the {111} recrystallization texture was formed from the deformed {111} grains in warm-rolled Ti-IF steels. In the later stage of recrystallization, the α fiber texture was consumed and the γ fiber texture in recrystallized grains was further developed. The main recrystallization texture characteristics of warm-rolled Ti-IF steel sheets had been decided in the early stages of recrystallization, and the oriented nucleation mechanism played a leading role in the formation of recrystallization texture in warm-rolled Ti-IF steel sheets.

Abstract: In this research, trace boron (4ppm, 8ppm, 11ppm) was added into the Nb-added HSLA H-beams. The impact toughness of H-beams with/without boron was examined by Charpy impact test (V-notch). The morphologies of the microstructure and the fracture surfaces of the impact specimens were observed by metalloscope, stereomicroscope and electron probe. The experimental results prove that the absorbed impact energy at -40°C for the 4ppm, 8ppm, 11ppm boron-added steels respectively reaches up to 80J, 126J, 85J from 15J and H-beams with boron have a lower FATT than that without boron. It is also found that the total oxygen content affects the absorbed impact energy to a certain extent. It is discovered by transmission electron microscope (TEM) that boron mainly exists in solid solution state, except that a little amount of Fe₂₃(C, B)₆ is formed at the grain boundaries, and the distribution of Nb(C, N) is also influenced by boron addition.

Abstract: Transformation induced plasticity (TRIP) steels have complex multiphase microstructure composed of ferrite, bainite and retained austenite [1]. These metastable retained austenite can transforms into martensite during plastic deformation, which generates a TRIP effect resulting in excellent combination of high strength and ductility even at high strength level [2-5]. For this reason, the TRIP-aided steel sheets are suitable to fabricate automobile parts, as they can offer excellent formability without sacrifice the strength and safety requirement of the steel sheets. As a result, the development of TRIP-aided steels has been a very important issue in the automobile field.

Abstract: Interstitial-free (IF) steel has excellent deep-drawability and was used widely in automotive industry. High strength IF-steel is that some phosphorus was put in common IF-steel to improve its strength without destroying the deep-drawability [1]. Microstructure and grain boundary character strongly affect the deep-drawability of high strength IF-steel, it is an obligatory task to test those characters. The technique of Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) can reveal the microtexture and detailed orientation distribution of grains from a single EBSD map, as a powerful instrument, EBSD was used widely in materials research from last decade [2]. Many researches have been focused on the texture evolution and recrystallization phenomena of high strength IF-steels [3,4], but the microtexture and grain boundary characters of warm-rolled high strength IF-steels was not fully investigated. The present study was aimed at researching the microtexture characters of a commercial high strength IF-steels under different warm-rolled temperature using EBSD technique, the microstructure and grain boundary character were analyzed systemically, and the relationship between the microstructure and deep-drawability was discussed.

Abstract: To lower the fracture appearance transition temperature (FATT) of Nb-treated HSLA H-beams further, boron-nickel-added Nb-treated HSLA H-beams were tempered after they were quenched at 870, 910 and 950°C respectively. Microstructures and mechanical properties, especially low temperature toughness of the experimental steels were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), uniaxial tensile test and Charpy impact test (V-notch). The results indicate that the FATTs of quenched & tempered specimens are all below -70С and that of some specimens is even below -90°С . Tensile strength of all quenched & tempered steels and their total elongation value are above 570 MPa and 21 % respectively. It can be seen that dual-phase microstructure of ferrite and tempered martensite in steels leads to the best low temperature toughness, and carbides along grain boundaries are beneficial to low temperature toughness.

Abstract: High-strength IF steel sheet has increasingly attracted more attention of steelmakers in recent years as it has the potential to lighten the weight of automobiles and save energy and lower the production cost. In this paper, the effect of processing parameters on microstructures and mechanical properties especially deep drawability of ferritic-rolled P-added high strength Ti-stabilized IF steels were investigated and the precipitates in the steels were also analyzed. The results show that lubricant condition has great influence on the r-value and deep drawability of high-strength IF steels. And with the decrease of rolling temperature in ferrite region, the deep drawability of steels is improved.

Abstract: In this paper, effects of ferritic rolling process on microstructures and mechanical properties especially drawability of ultra-low carbon (ULC) and Ti-stabilized interstitial-free (Ti-IF) steels were investigated and the precipitates of ferritic-rolled Ti-IF steels were also analyzed. The results show that good deep drawability are achieved as IF steels are ferritic rolled in good lubricant condition; on the contrary, lubricant condition has less influence on the deep drawability of ULC steels. And with the decrease of rolling temperature in ferrite region, deep drawability of Ti-IF steels are improved, but for ULC steels, when ferritic rolled at low temperature, the r-value is still less than one, which means insignificant deep drawability.

Abstract: Precipitates have great influence on the recrystallization, texture evolution and thus the final mechanical properties of the Interstitial-Free (IF) steel sheets, however, very few studies have dealt with the precipitation behavior of IF steels warm rolled in ferrite region. In the present work, the precipitate characteristics (type, morphology, size and amount) of warm-rolled ordinary Ti-stabilized Interstitial-Free (Ti-IF) steel and p-added high-strength Ti-IF steel were investigated by Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) and Energy Dispersion Spectrometer (EDS). The results show that most precipitates in warm-rolled ordinary Ti-IF steels are TiN, TiS, Ti4C2S2 and TiC. Besides these precipitates, a great amount of FeTiP precipitates exist in warm-rolled P-added high-strength Ti-IF steel. The precipitation of FeTiP retards the migration of grain boundary in the recrystallization annealing, so the {111} texture and thus deep drawability of warm-rolled high-strength Ti-IF steel is deteriorated.

Abstract: Warm-rolling can save the production cost and extend the production kind of hot-rolled IF steel strip, the precipitates strongly influence the annealing process and texture evolution so as to the final mechanical properties of the production, very few studies has relate to the precipitates of IF steels warm-rolled in ferrite region. In present work, two Ti- IF steels were warm-rolled in ferrite region under different rolling parameters and the precipitates were investigated. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Energy dispersion Spectroscopy (EDS) microanalysis were carried out on carbon extraction replicas, the characteristics such as morphology, type, amount and size of precipitates were analyzed. The results show that different type of precipitates were appeared in two steels, TiN, TiS, Ti4C2S2 and TiC were found in common Ti-IF steel, but in high strength Ti-IF steel, the amount of TiS, Ti4C2S2 was very few and FeTiP precipitates appeared, the type and morphology of precipitates were not affected by rolling parameters, however, the number and size of precipitates were changed. Finally, the effect of different P content on the change of precipitates was analyzed, the precipitating mechanism was also discussed.