WCA July 2012

Effect of Boron alloying on microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of high carbon wire

By Emmanuel De Moor, Advanced Steel Processing and Products Research Centre, and Walther Van Raemdonck, NV Bekaert SA

If the nitrogen is mobile, it can cause strain aging resulting in increased work hardening and reduced ductility of the wire product 1 . Significant research has been conducted to reduce the free nitrogen content of low carbon wire rod grades by alloying with micro-additions of eg boron, vanadium or niobium.1 -6 Boron alloying of high carbon steel has received less attention 7 and is the focus of present research.

Abstract Boron alloying is frequently applied in low carbon steel to tie up free nitrogen and prevent strain aging resulting in improved (torsional) ductility of wire products. The present contribution investigates boron alloying effects in high carbon (0.80 wt pct) steels. Laboratory heats were prepared with boron to nitrogen ratios of 1:1 and 2:1 in addition to a reference heat. The material was hot rolled, drawn, patented and further drawn to 1mm. Mechanical properties were assessed along with microstructural characterisation at each intermediate stage. Limited effects of boron alloying on mechanical properties are apparent. Introduction Electric arc furnace steelmaking is increasingly employed, especially in North America, for steel making operations of long products. The substitution of rimming steel by continuous cast electric arc furnace (EAF) steel imposes challenges on meeting product quality requirements in particular with respect to (torsional) ductility. This relates to the inherently higher nitrogen content of EAF steel.

Experimental Procedure

Boron can combine with nitrogen to form boron nitride according to

B + N = BN (1)

and stochiometry corresponds to a B:N ratio of 11:14 or 0.79 given the atomic weights of boron and nitrogen. Three alloys, with a carbon content of 0.80 wt pct, were designed in current research to have a reference alloy, an alloy with boron and nitrogen in a stochiometric ratio and one superstochiometric alloy with a B:N ratio of 2:1. The latter steel enables a study of the effect of the additional “free” boron on microstructural development and properties.

❍ ❍ Table 1 : Chemical composition in wt pct of the laboratory prepared steels

C

Mn

Si

Cr

B, ppm

N, ppm

Base

0.78

0.48

0.25

0.20

-

42

B

0.82

0.46

0.23

0.20

62

43

High B

0.76

0.47

0.23

0.20

98

41

51

Wire & Cable ASIA – September/October 2007 Wir & Cable ASIA – July/August 12