Optimization of Niobium Content in Direct Quenched High-Strength Steels

Abstract

This paper focuses on understanding the effect of niobium content on the phase transformation behavior and resultant mechanical properties of thermomechanically rolled and direct-quenched low carbon steels containing 0.08 wt.% carbon. Investigated steels contained three different levels of niobium: 0, 0.02 and 0.05 wt.%. The continuous cooling transformation (CCT) diagrams covering cooling rates in the range 3–96 °C/s constructed based on the dilatometer studies showed only a minor effects of Nb on the phase transformation characteristics. In addition, experiments were performed for reheating and soaking the slabs at 1050–1200 °C and the results revealed that for these low-carbon steels, Nb failed to prevent the austenite grain growth during slab reheating. In the case of hot rolling trials, two different finish rolling temperatures of 820 °C and 920 °C were used to obtain different levels of pancaking in the austenite prior to direct quenching. The resultant microstructures were essentially mixtures of autotempered martensite and lower bainite imparting yield strengths in the range 940–1070 MPa. The lower finish rolling temperature enabled better combinations of strength and toughness in all the cases, predominantly due to a higher degree of pancaking in the austenite. The optimum level of Nb in the steel was ascertained to be 0.02 wt.%, which resulted not only in marginally higher strength but also without any significant loss of impact toughness.