Effect of Zr-Ti combined deoxidation on impact toughness of coarse-grained heat-affected zone with high heat input welding

In this study, the effects of Zr-Ti combined deoxidation and AI deoxidation on the impact toughness of coarse- grained heat-affected zone in high-strength low-alloy steels were investigated. More fine oxides were formed in the Zr-Ti-killed steel than in Al-killed steel. It was also found that more acicular ferrite grains were formed in the coarse-grained heat-affected zone in the Zr-Ti-killed steel than in Al-killed steel. The impact toughness of coarse-grained heat-affected zone of Zr-Ti-kiUed steel was higher than that of Al-killed steel. The good impact toughness was attributable to the pinning effect of fine oxides and the formation of acicular ferrite grains on fine oxides.

Laboratory development of high performance steel plates with excellent HAZ toughness at large heat inputs

Presented in this study is the result of steel plates developed at laboratory by using the technique of chemistry design based on microstructure evolution.It has been shown that the produced 50mm thickness steel plates with yield and tensile strength being 420 MPa and 530 MPa respectively exhibit excellent large heat input weldability:the Charpy impact tests in the whole range of heat affected zone(HAZ) including the fusion line at the welded joint with large heat input of 100 -300 kJ/cm showed uniform impact toughness of above 140 J at -40℃.Welding simulations were also performed for heat inputs of 200-600 kJ/cm,which showed far better toughness at -20℃.Analysis on the results of the simulations and the practical welding tests were done and the microstructure evolution mechanisms were proposed.Finally suggestions were given to improve the simulation processes as well as chemistry modification.

Effects of welding wire composition and welding process on the weld metal toughness of submerged arc welded pipeline steel

The effects of alloying elements in welding wires and submerged arc welding process on the microstructures and low-temperature impact toughness of weld metals have been investigated. The results indicate that the optimal contents of alloying elements in welding wires can improve the low-temperature impact toughness of weld metals because the proeutectoid ferrite and bainite formations can be suppressed, and the fraction of acicular ferrite increases. However, the contents of alloying elements need to vary along with the welding heat input. With the increase in welding heat input, the contents of alloying elements in welding wires need to be increased accordingly. The microstructures mainly consisting of acicular ferrite can be obtained in weld metals after four-wire submerged arc welding using the wires with a low carbon content and appropriate contents of Mn, Mo, Ti-B, Cu, Ni, and RE, resulting in the high low-temperature impact toughness of weld metals.

Influence of Ti on Weld Microstructure and Mechanical Properties in Large Heat Input Welding of High Strength Low Alloy Steels

The influence of Ti on weld microstructure and mechanical properties in large heat input welding of high strength low alloy steels is investigated. The results indicate that a moderate amount of Ti is still effective for grain refinement even under larger heat input and a large amount of acicular ferrite （AF） is formed in the weld metal when Ti content is within 0. 028%--0. 038%. With increasing Ti content, proeutectoid ferrite in the weld metal decreases, whereas bainite and M-A constituent increase. The type of inclusion in the welds varies from Mn-Si-AI-O to Ti-Mn- A1-O and finally to Ti-A1-O as Ti content increases from 0 up to 0. 064%. As for adding 0. 028%--0. 038% Ti, high weld toughness could be attained since most inclusions less than 2 tim which contain Ti20s provide the effective nu- clei for aeicular ferrite formation. However, the toughness of the weld metals severely reduces when Ti content is over the optimum ranRe of 0. 028%--0. 038%.

Low Cost High Performance Steel Plate With Superior HAZ Toughness for Large Heat Input Welding

In this paper, a laboratory study has been made to develop low cost high performance steel plates with superior HAZ toughness for large heat input welding. Simulated results show that the absorbed impact energy of heat-affected zone (HAZ) at -20℃reaches above 200J when large heat inputs of 100 to 400kJ/cm were applied, suggestive of superior HAZ toughness for large heat input welding of developed steel plate. The microstructures in HAZ are transformed from mainly fine ferrite and bainite at 100kJ/cm, through an intermediate stage of ferrite, bainite and pearlite at 200 and 300kJ/cm, to nearly fine ferrite and pearlite at 400kJ/cm. The prior austenite grain size and ferrite grain size in HAZ are controlled to ～50 and ～20μm, respectively. The high HAZ toughness is due to the inhibition of prior austenite grain size at high temperatures and the formation of beneficial microstructures to HAZ toughness during continuous cooling.

Development of oxide metallurgy technology at Baosteel

Oxide metallurgy technology has been developed at Baosteel for improving the heat affected zone toughness of steel plates for high heat input welding. After deoxidation with strong deoxidizers of Mg alloy, the complex inclusions containing parts of compounds of MgO,Ti2 O3,MnO, Al2 O3 ,MnS, CaS and TiN are formed. These kinds of inclusions are beneficial for promoting the formation of intragranular ferrite. After two-electrode vibratory electrogas arc welding with the V-type groove and a high heat input of 395 kJ/cm in a single pass,the former austenite grain is very fine in size,with an average grain size of only 85 μm. Excellent heat affected zone toughness is obtained for the developed steel plates with a thickness up to 68 mm.

Simulation study on heat-affected zone of high-strain X80 pipeline steel

The microstructure evolution and impact-toughness variation of heat-affected zone（HAZ）in X80 highstrain pipeline steel were investigated via a welding thermal-simulation technique,Charpy impact tests,and scanning electron microscopy observations under different welding heat inputs and peak temperatures.The results indicate that when heat input was between 17 and 25kJ·cm^（-1）,the coarse-grained heat-affected zone showed improved impact toughness.When the heat input was increased further,the martensite-austenite（M-A）islands transformed from fine lath into a massive block.Therefore,impact toughness was substantially reduced.When the heat input was 20kJ·cm^（-1） and the peak temperature of the first thermal cycle was between 900 and 1300°C,a higher impact toughness was obtained.When heat input was 20kJ·cm^（-1） and the peak temperature of the first thermal cycle was 1300°C,the impact toughness value at the second peak temperature of 900°C was higher than that at the second peak temperature of 800°C because of grain refining and uniformly dispersed M-A constituents in the matrix of bainite.

Relationship between crystallographic structure of complex inclusions MgAl_(2)O_(4)/Ti2O_(3)/MnS and improved toughness of heat-affected zone in shipbuilding steel

In accordance with the minimum degree of disregistry mechanism in oxide metallurgy, the intragranular acicular ferrite (IAF) generated by microalloying elements in austenite was studied. Herein, the effect of Mg treatment on the microstructure and toughness of the heat-affected zone (HAZ) in shipbuilding steel was investigated. Mg treatment produced inclusions that influenced the formation of acicular ferrite in the microstructure. This refined the HAZ microstructure and improved its toughness. Electron backscatter diffraction was used to determine the oxides of titanium and the MgO Al_(2)O_(3) or MgAl_(2)O_(4) complex inclusions that induced the formation of IAF. MnS precipitated on MgAl_(2)O_(4) on a specific habit plane and in a specific direction. MnS had a specific orientation relationship with MgAl_(2)O_(4), i.e., f100gMgAl_(2)O_(4) //{100}MnS. The 35-mm-thick plate obtained in the industrial test after welding at a welding heat input of 120 kJ/cm had an average impact absorbed energy of 282.7 J at - 40 ℃ and 2 mm from the weld joint in the HAZ. The twodimensional disregistry index between inclusions can be used as the basis for controlling their distribution and adsorption force. Microalloy addition in the order of Al-Mg-Ti is key to obtaining abundant dispersion and fine nucleation in austenite.

High Strength Steel Plates for Large Container Ships

Heavy thickness steel plates with a good combination of strength,toughness and weldability have been demanded for building of large container ships.High strength steel plates with heavy gauge of EH36,EH40 and EH47 grades were developed by optimizing chemical compositions and TMCP process parameters.Micro alloying elements of Ti and Nb were added to the three steel grades for enhancing the strength and toughness of base plates.The strength of base plates of the EH47 grade was further enhanced with the help of the increased amount of substitutional solid solutes,such as manganese,copper,nickel,or chromium.EH36 steel plates for high heat input over 550 kJ/cm were manufactured by improving thermal stability of TiN particles for better weld heat-affected zone toughness.Thermally stabilized TiN particles effectively suppress grain growth at weld heat-affected zone,leading to better toughness.These steel plates showed excellent mechanical properties of base plates and welded joints.