Effect of EAF Impurities on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Low-Carbon Steels

Abstract:

The effects of common electric arc furnace (EAF) impurities, including copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), molybdenum (Mo), and chromium (Cr), were investigated in low-carbon steels. These steel scrap originating tramp elements can influence the microstructures and mechanical properties of steel products. Tramp elements containing test materials were thermo-mechanically rolled to achieve yield strengths between 400–450 MPa with different cooling routes. Various methods of microstructure characterization and mechanical testing were utilized to study the resulting steels. Additionally, thermo-mechanical simulations were conducted using Gleeble 3800 equipment to gather information about flow stress properties. The results indicate that with a lower cooling rate, the microstructure is not significantly affected by tramp elements, however strength levels can be increased and elongation properties decreased, mostly due to the solid solution strengthening effect of impurities. In water-quenched steels, the addition of tramp elements can alter the final microstructure morphology, increasing the ultimate tensile strength but simultaneously improving the ductility. Flow stress is not significantly affected by tramp elements in the temperature range of 950–1050 °C.

• Periodical: Solid State Phenomena (Volume 383)
• Pages: 13-18
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/p-s1q3hN
• Online since: January 2026
• Authors: Anttu Jouni Topias Hoikkaniemi*, Oskari Haiko, Antti Kaijalainen
• Keywords: EAF Impurities, Mechanical Properties, Microstructure, Steel

References

[1] G. Zang, P. Sun, A. Elgowainy, P. Bobba, C. McMillan, O. Ma, K. Podkaminer, N. Rustagi, M. Melaina, & M. Koleva, Cost and life cycle analysis for deep CO2 emissions reduction of steelmaking: Blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace and electric arc furnace technologies. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 128 (2023), 103958.

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijggc.2023.103958

[2] M. Shahabuddin, G. Brooks, & M.A. Rhamdhani, Decarbonisation and hydrogen integration of steel industries: Recent development, challenges and technoeconomic analysis. Journal of Cleaner Production, 395 (2023), 136391.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.136391

[3] K. Kato & H. Ono, Thermodynamic Analysis on Slag/Metal Reactions in Steelmaking Process Using Direct Reduced Iron and Steel Scraps. ISIJ International, 64(6), (2024) 881–892.

DOI: 10.2355/isijinternational.isijint-2023-398

[4] D. Raabe, M. Jovičević-Klug, D. Ponge, A. Gramlich, A.K. da Silva, A. N. Grundy, H. Springer, I.S. Filho, Y. Ma, Circular Steel for Fast Decarbonization: Thermodynamics, Kinetics, and Microstructure Behind Upcycling Scrap into High-Performance Sheet Steel. Annual Review of Materials Research, 54 (2024).

DOI: 10.1146/annurev-matsci-080222-123648

[5] L. Yin, E. Sampson, J. Nakano, & S. Sridhar, The effects of nickel/tin ratio on Cu induced surface hot shortness in Fe. Oxidation of metals, 76 (2011), 367–383.

DOI: 10.1007/s11085-011-9261-7

[6] N. Imai, N. Komatsubara, and K. Kunishige, Effects of Cu and Other Tramp Elements on Steel Properties. Effect of Cu and Ni on Hot Workability of Hot-rolled Mild Steel. ISIJ International, 37 (2008) 3, 224–231.

DOI: 10.2355/isijinternational.37.224

[7] I. Tamura, H. Sekine, & T. Tanaka, Thermomechanical processing of high-strength low-alloy steels, Butterworth-Heinemann, 2013.