Large quantity of fine Ti（C,N） particles, 15-30 nm in size, were observed in low carbon hot strips added to a small amount of Ti and produced by CSP process. The results showed that the precipitation of Ti（C,N） mostly took place during soaking and hot rolling, which is significantly different from that in the conventional production. These fine Ti carbonitride particles could be very effective on the austenite grain refinement by hindering grain growth of recrystallized austenite. Their precipitation behavior was discussed and compared with that of the steels produced in the conventional production.
Mingzhuo BaiDelu LiuYanzhi LouXinping MaoLiejun LiXiangdong Huo
Hot strips of low carbon steels with Ti additive [-contain C 0.04 % -0. 07 % , Si≤0.6%, Mn≤0.6%, Ti 0. 060/00- 0.14% （mass percent）] prodvced by EAF-CSP （Electric Arc Furnaces-Compact Strip Production） process were examined by TEM, HREM and XRD. Carbonitrides with different N/C ratio were found in the sam- ples. The varying composition of the Ti-carbonitrides resulted from the supersaturation of Ti and temperature at which the compound was formed. In the tested steel, total mass fraction of the precipitates including cementite, carbonitride and a small quantity of Fe3O4, AO2O3 , Ti2 CS and A1N was about 0. 305 %. XRD results showed that about a quarter of the powder extracted by electrolysis was titanium nitrides, carbonitrides and carbides. Particle arrays formed by interphase precipitation could be observed either in slabs or in hot strips. The dominant reaction mecha- nisms were discussed. Compared with the conventional cold charge process, small amount of Ti addition would be more effective for orecipitation of fine orecioitates in the steels oroduced by CSP process.
