IP Library Granted Patent US 12692571
Granted Patent B2
US 12692571 · App. 17/771,770 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Steel sheet and method of manufacturing the same

Inventors: Hiroyuki Kawata (Tokyo, JP); Kengo Takeda (Tokyo, JP); Eriko Tsukamoto (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION
C21D9/46B32B15/013C21D6/001C21D6/002C21D6/005C21D6/008C21D8/02C21D8/0226C21D8/0236C22C38/001C22C38/002C22C38/005C22C38/008C22C38/02C22C38/04C22C38/06C22C38/08C22C38/16C22C38/22C22C38/28C22C38/32C23C2/02C23C2/0224C23C2/06C23C2/26C23C2/40C21D2211/005
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12692571
App. No.
17/771,770
Filed
Apr 25, 2022
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Art Unit
1734
USPC
148/533
Abstract

A steel sheet has a predetermined chemical composition, in which a microstructure in a ¼ width portion, a microstructure in a ½ width portion, and a microstructure in a ¾ width portion, include, by area %, ferrite: 80% or more, martensite: 2% or less, and residual austenite: 2% or less, in which a proportion of unrecrystallized ferrite in the ferrite is 5% to 60%, an average grain size of carbonitrides is 6.0 nm to 30.0 nm, and Expressions (2) to (5) are satisfied. Δ SF /μ SF ≤0.10  (2) Δ dF /μ dF ≤0.20  (3) Δ SUF ≤20  (4) Δ dC /μ dC ≤0.50  (5)

Claims (985)

1 . A steel sheet comprising, as a composition, by mass % comprising:

C: 0.035% to 0.150%;

Si: 0.010% to 1.500%;

Mn: 0.10% to 3.00%;

Al: 0.005% to 1.000%;

P: 0.100% or less;

S: 0.0200% or less;

N: 0.0150% or less;

O: 0.0100% or less;

V: 0% to 0.50%;

Cr: 0% to 1.00%;

Ni: 0% to 1.00%;

Cu: 0% to 1.00%;

Mo: 0% to 1.00%;

W: 0% to 1.00%;

B: 0% to 0.0100%;

Sn: 0% to 1.00%;

Sb: 0% to 0.20%;

Nb: 0% to 0.060%;

Ti: 0% to 0.100%;

Ca: 0% to 0.0100%;

Mg: 0% to 0.0100%;

Zr: 0% to 0.0100%;

REM: 0% to 0.0100%; and

a remainder: Fe and impurities,

wherein Expressions (1-1) to (1-3) are satisfied;

a microstructure in a ¼ width portion at a ¼ width position from a sheet width direction end portion in a sheet width direction and at a ¼ thickness position from a surface in a sheet thickness direction, a microstructure in a ½ width portion at a ½ width position from the sheet width direction end portion in the sheet width direction and at the ¼ thickness position from the surface in the sheet thickness direction, and a microstructure in a ¾ width portion at a ¾ width position from the sheet width direction end portion in the sheet width direction and at the ¼ thickness position from the surface in the sheet thickness direction

include, by area %, ferrite: 80% or more, martensite: 2% or less, and residual austenite: 2% or less, and the remainder in microstructure comprises pearlite, cementite, and bainite in a total area ratio of 20% or less,

a proportion of unrecrystallized ferrite in the ferrite is 5% to 60%,

an average grain size of carbonitrides is 6.0 nm to 30.0 nm,

Expressions (2) to (5) are satisfied,

a 0.2% proof stress is 280 MPa to 600 MPa,

a tensile strength is 450 MPa to 800 MPa,

a yield ratio is 0.50 to 0.90, and

a uniform elongation is 10.0% or more,

1.5×Nb+Ti≥0.015  (1-1),

0.03≤{(Ti/48−N/14)+Nb/93}/(C/12)≤0.40  (1-2),

Ca+Mg+Zr+REM≤0.0100  (1-3),

Δ SF /μ SF ≤0.10  (2),

Δ dF /μ dF ≤0.20  (3),

Δ SUF ≤20  (4),

Δ dC /μ dC ≤0.50  (5),

each of Ti, N, Nb, C, Ca, Mg, Zr, and REM in Expressions (1-1) to (1-3) represent a content by mass % of the element, when the element is not included, 0% is substituted as the content of the element, and when a value of (Ti/48−N/14) is negative, 0 is substituted as the value of (Ti/48−N/14),

μ SF in Expression (2) represents an average value of an area ratio of ferrite in the microstructure in the ¼ width portion, an area ratio of ferrite in the microstructure in the ½ width portion, and an area ratio of ferrite in the microstructure in the ¾ width portion, and Δ SF represents a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of area ratio of ferrite in the microstructures in the ¼ width portion, the ½ width portion, and the ¾ width portion,

μ dF in Expression (3) represents an average value of an average grain size of ferrite in the microstructure in the ¼ width portion, an average grain size of ferrite in the microstructure in the ½ width portion, and an average grain size of ferrite in the microstructure in the ¾ width portion, and A dF represents a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of average grain size of ferrite in the microstructures in the ¼ width portion, the ½ width portion, and the ¾ width portion,

Δ SUF in Expression (4) represents a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of area ratio of unrecrystallized ferrite in the microstructures in the ¼ width portion, the ½ width portion, and the ¾ width portion, and

μ dC in Expression (5) represents an average value of an average grain size of carbonitrides in the microstructure in the ¼ width portion, an average grain size of carbonitrides in the microstructure in the ½ width portion, and an average grain size of carbonitrides in the microstructure in the ¾ width portion, and Δ dC represents a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of average grain size of carbonitrides in the microstructures in the ¼ width portion, the ½ width portion, and the ¾ width portion.

2 . The steel sheet according to claim 1 wherein the composition, includes Mn: 0.70% to 3.00% by mass %.

3 . The steel sheet according to claim 2 ,

wherein the average grain sizes of ferrite in the ¼ width portion, the ½ width portion, and the ¾ width portion is 5.0 μm to 15.0 μm.

4 . The steel sheet according to claim 1 ,

wherein the average grain sizes of ferrite in the ¼ width portion, the ½ width portion, and the ¾ width portion is 5.0 μm to 15.0 μm.

5 . The steel sheet according to claim 1 , comprising a galvanized layer on the surface.

6 . The steel sheet according to claim 5 ,

wherein a Fe content in the galvanized layer is 7.0% to 13.0% by mass %.

7 . The steel sheet according to claim 1 , comprising a zinc alloy plated layer on the surface.

8 . The steel sheet according to claim 7 ,

wherein a Fe content in the zinc alloy plated layer is 7.0% to 13.0% by mass %.

9 . The steel sheet according to claim 1 , wherein the proportion of unrecrystallized ferrite in the ferrite is 10% to 60%.

10 . The steel sheet according to claim 1 , wherein the proportion of unrecrystallized ferrite in the ferrite is 12% to 60%.

11 . The steel sheet according to claim 1 , wherein the steel sheet includes 0% martensite and wherein the yield ratio is 0.50 to 0.69.

12 . A method of manufacturing the steel sheet according to claim 1 , comprising:

a hot rolling process of heating a steel piece having the composition of said steel sheet to 1150° C. to 1320° C., completing hot rolling such that a hot rolling completion temperature is 850° C. to 930° C., starting cooling after 1.5 s or longer, cooling the steel piece to a temperature range of lower than 450° C. to obtain a hot-rolled steel sheet such that an average cooling rate in a temperature range of 800° C. to 450° C. is 20° C./s or higher;

a reheating process of heating the hot-rolled steel sheet to a temperature range of 450° C. to 700° C.;

a cooling process of cooling the hot-rolled steel sheet to room temperature;

a cold rolling process of cold-rolling the hot-rolled steel sheet to obtain a cold-rolled steel sheet such that a total rolling reduction is 30% to 80% and a cold rolling completion temperature is 120° C. or higher; and

an annealing process of heating the cold-rolled steel sheet to an annealing temperature of 720° C. to 850° C. and cooling the cold-rolled steel sheet to a temperature range of 500° C. or lower,

wherein in the hot rolling process,

Expression (6) is satisfied in a temperature range of 1000° C. or lower,

in the reheating process,

Expression (7-1) and Expression (8) are satisfied in the temperature range of 450° C. to 700° C.,

in the annealing process,

in the process of heating to the annealing temperature,

Expression (9) is satisfied in a temperature range of 550° C. to 720° C.,

a tension of 15 MPa or higher is applied and Expression (10) is satisfied in a temperature range of 720° C. to the annealing temperature, and

in the process of cooling from the annealing temperature,

Expression (11) is satisfied in a temperature range of 720° C. to 500° C.,

g

n

=

(

0

.

5

+

h

*

h

)

·

(

1

+

a

1

Nb

+

a

2

T

i

)

(

6

)

K

n

=

(

T

n

+

273

)

·

(

a

3

+

a

4

N

b

+

a

5

Ti

)

R

n

=

(

T

n

+

273

)

·

(

a

6

+

a

7

N

b

+

a

8

Ti

)

J

n

=

(

h

*

h

)

1.5

·

(

a

9

+

a

1

0

N

b

+

a

1

1

Ti

)

f

n

=

[

f

n

-

1

·

exp

(

-

K

n

·

t

n

)

+

g

n

·

{

1

-

exp

(

-

K

n

·

t

n

)

}

]

·

exp

(

-

R

n

·

t

n

)

+

J

n

1.

in Expression (6), f n represents an index representing a degree of progress of precipitation of a fine carbide in the temperature range of 1000° C. or lower of the hot rolling process, where, f n can be obtained by setting f 0 to 0 and calculating f 1 to f n in order,

reference numerals in Expression (6) are as follows,

n: the number of rolling passes at 1000° C. or lower,

h: a sheet thickness in mm before an n-th pass rolling,

h*: a sheet thickness in mm after the n-th pass rolling,

Nb and Ti: contents in mass % of Nb and Ti,

T n : an average steel sheet temperature in ° C. from the n-th pass rolling to an n+1-th pass rolling, wherein the average steel sheet temperature is a temperature in the width direction of the steel strip managed such that a temperature distribution in the width direction is within +15° C. relative to the average temperature,

t n : a shorter time among a time in s from the n-th pass rolling to the n+1-th pass rolling and a time in s taken until the steel sheet temperature decreases to 800° C. from the n-th pass rolling,

a 1 to 11 : constants (a 1 =2.28×100, a 2 =1.25×100, a 3 =7.86×10 −4 , a 4 =1.36× 10 −3 , 5=6.76×10 −4 , a 6 =7.86×10 −4 , a 7 =2.13×10 −3 , a 8 =1.14×10 −3 , a 9 =6.70×10 −2 , a 10 =1.11×10 0 , and a 11 =5.27×10 −1 ),

b

1

·

{

1

.00

-

exp

(

-

b

2

+

b

3

·

Nb

+

b

4

·

Ti

*

-

T

max

b

5

+

b

6

·

Nb

+

b

7

·

Ti

*

)

}

·

D

2

0

·

t

2

0

1.

(

7

-

1

)

reference numerals in Expression (7-1) are as follows,

b 1 to 7 : constants (b 1 =6.82×10 6 , b 2 =1.00×10 3 , b 3 =8.70×10 1 , b 4 =1.25×10 2 , b 5 =1.00×10 2 , b 6 =−1.50×10 1 , and b 7 =−2.50×10 1 ),

Nb: a Nb content in mass %,

Ti*: an effective Ti content represented by Ti−42/14× N,

where each of Ti and N represents a content by mass % of the element, and when the element is not included, 0 is substituted as the content of the element,

T max : a highest heating temperature in ° C.,

t 20 : an effective heat temperature time in s in a 20th period when a residence time in the temperature range of 450° C. to 700° C. is divided into 20 periods,

D 20 : an index representing an effective diffusion rate in a 20th period when a residence time in the temperature range of 450° C. to 700° C. is divided into 20 periods,

where an m-th effective heat treatment time t m and an index D m representing an m-th effective diffusion rate are represented by Expression (7-2),

D

m

=

T

i

*

4

2

·

(

Ti

*

4

2

+

N

b

9

2

)

-

1

·

b

8

·

exp

(

-

b

9

T

m

)

+

N

b

9

2

·

(

Ti

*

4

2

+

N

b

9

2

)

-

1

·

b

1

0

·

exp

(

-

b

1

1

T

m

)

(

7

-

2

)

t

m

=

t

+

D

m

-

1

D

m

·

t

m

-

1

reference numerals in Expression (7-2) are as follows,

m: an integer of 1 to 20,

b 9 to 11 : constants (b 8 =6.81×10 1 , b 9 =2.61×10 5 , b 10 =5.60×10 0 , and b 11 =2.86×10 5 ),

Nb: a Nb content in mass %,

Ti*: an effective Ti content represented by Ti−42/14×N,

where each of Ti and N represents a content by mass % of the element, and when the element is not included, 0 is substituted as the content of the element,

T m : an average steel sheet temperature in ° C. in an m-th period when a residence time in the temperature range of 450° C. to 700° C. is divided into 20 periods, wherein the average steel sheet temperature is a temperature in the width direction of the steel strip managed such that a temperature distribution in the width direction is within #15° C. relative to the average temperature,

t m : an effective heat treatment time s in an m-th period when a residence time in the temperature range of 450° C. to 700° C. is divided into 20 periods,

where t 1 =t′,

t′: 1/20 s of an entire residence time in the temperature range of 450° C. to 700° C.,

K

j

=

T

j

·

(

log10

(

s

j

)

+

20

/

(

1

+

0

.

1

5

×

Si

-

0.08

×

Mn

-

0.05

×

Cr

-

0.13

×

Mo

)

)

(

8

)

s

j

=

t

+

10

T

j

-

1

T

j

·

log

10

s

j

-

1

+

20

T

j

·

T

j

+

T

j

-

1

1

+

0.15

Si

-

0.08

M𝔫

-

0.05

Cr

-

0.13

Mo

K

2

0

2

.

0

0

×

1

0

4

in Expression (8), K 20 represents an index representing a degree of stabilization of cementite in a 20th period when a temperature history in the temperature range of 450° C. to 700° C. of the reheating process is divided into 20 periods with respect to time,

reference numerals in Expression (8) are as follows,

j: an integer of 1 to 20,

each of Si, Mn, Cr, and Mo: a content mass % of the element,

T j : an average steel sheet temperature in ° C. in a j-th period when a residence time in the temperature range of 450° C. to 700° C. is divided into 20 periods, wherein the average steel sheet temperature is a temperature in the width direction of the steel strip managed such that a temperature distribution in the width direction is within =15° C. relative to the average temperature,

s j : an effective heat treatment time s in a j-th period when a residence time in the temperature range of 450° C. to 700° C. is divided into 20 periods,

where s 1 =t′,

t′: 1/20 s of an entire residence time in the temperature range of 450° C. to 700° C.,

E

=

d

1

·

(

1

-

h

*

h

)

1.5

·

T

R

-

1

·

(

1

+

d

2

·

Nb

0.5

+

d

3

·

Ti

*

0

.

5

)

-

1

·

K

2

0

.

5

(

9

)

q

n

=

d

3

·

E

·

exp

(

-

d

4

T

n

+

273

)

t

n

=

Δ

t

-

ln

(

1

-

p

n

-

1

)

q

n

p

n

=

1

-

exp

(

-

q

n

·

t

n

)

0.1

p

1

0

1

.

0

0

in Expression (9), p 10 represents an index representing a degree of progress of recrystallization in a 10th period when a residence time in the temperature range of 550° C. to 720° C. in the process of heating in the annealing process is divided into 10 periods,

reference numerals in Expression (9) are as follows,

d 1 to 4 : constants (d 1 =4.24×10 2 , d 2 =2.10×10 0 , d 3 =1.31×10 3 , and d 4 =7.63×10 3 ),

h: a sheet thickness in mm before cold rolling,

h*: a sheet thickness in mm after cold rolling,

T R : a cold rolling completion temperature in ° C.,

Nb: a Nb content in mass %,

Ti*: an effective Ti content represented by Ti−42/14× N,

where each of Ti and N represents a content by mass % of the element, and when the element is not included, 0 is substituted as the content of the element,

K 2 : a value obtained by Expression (7-1),

n: an integer of 1 to 10,

T n ′: an average temperature in ° C. in an n-th period when a residence time in the temperature range of 550° C. to 720° C. is divided into 10 periods,

Δ t : a time in s when an elapsed time until a steel sheet temperature reaches 720° C. from 550° is divided into 10 periods,

where t 1 =Δt,

y

m

=

{

e

1

K

2

·

exp

(

-

e

2

T

m

+

2

7

3

)

·

A

c

3

-

T

m

A

c

3

-

A

c

1

·

t

m

}

1

/

2

·

e

3

·

(

T

m

-

e

4

A

c

3

-

e

4

)

3

(

10

)

t

m

=

Δ

t

+

y

m

-

1

2

·

{

e

1

K

2

·

exp

(

-

e

2

T

m

+

2

7

3

)

·

A

c

3

-

T

m

A

c

3

-

A

c

1

}

-

1

·

{

e

3

·

(

T

m

-

e

4

A

c

3

-

e

4

)

3

}

-

2

1.

0

e

4

·

y

m

·

(

K

3

·

K

4

)

-

1

2

5

.

0

in Expression (10), y m represents an index representing a degree of progress of reverse transformation in an m-th period when a residence time in the temperature range of 720° C. to the annealing temperature is divided into 10 periods, and y 0 =0,

reference numerals in Expression (10) are as follows,

e 1 to 4 : constants (e 1 =4.50×10 2 , e 2 =2.85×10 4 , e 3 =2.24×10 0 , and e 4 =8.56×10 −8 ),

K 2 : a value on the left side of Expression (7-1),

K 3 : a value of K 2 O obtained by Expression (8),

e 4 y m (K 3 ·K 4 ) −1/2 is a value when m=10,

K 4 : a value of p 10 obtained by Expression (9),

Ac 1 : an austenite transformation start temperature in ° C. during heating,

Ac 3 : an austenite transformation completion temperature in ° C. during heating,

T m : an average temperature in ° C. in an m-th period when a residence time in the temperature range of 720° C. to the annealing temperature is divided into 10 periods,

t m : an effective heat treatment time s in an m-th period when a residence time in the temperature range of 720° C. to the annealing temperature is divided into 10 periods, and

Δt: a time in s when an entire residence time in the temperature range of 720° C. to 500° C. is divided into 10 periods;

i

=

1

1

0

(

g

1

+

g

2

·

Nb

0.5

+

g

3

·

Ti

*

0.5

)

·

(

1

+

g

4

·

Mo

0.5

)

-

1

·

K

4

1

/

3

·

(

A

c

3

-

T

max

A

c

3

-

A

c

1

)

1

/

3

·

(

Δ

i

+

g

5

·

Δ

i

0

.

5

)

·

exp

(

-

g

6

T

i

+

2

7

3

)

·

t

′0

.5

1

.

0

0

(

11

)

reference numerals in Expression (11) are as follows,

i: an integer of 1 to 10,

Δ i : 750−18×Si−17×Mn−10×Cr−8×Ni+15×Al−Ti,

where each of the elements represents a content by mass % of the element, and when the element is not included, 0 is substituted as the content of the element,

when a calculated value of Δ i is a negative value, Δ i set to 0,

g 1 to 6 : constants (g 1 =1.00×10 −1 , g 2 =1.46×10 −1 , g 3 =1.14×10 −1 , g 4 =2.24×100, g 5 =4.53×10 0 , and g 6 =4.83×10 3 ),

each of Nb, Mo, Si, Mn, Cr, Ni, and Al: a content in mass % of the element,

Ti*: an effective Ti content represented by Ti−42/14× N,

where each of Ti and N represents a content by mass % of the element, and when the element is not included, 0 is substituted as the content of the element,

K 4 : a value of p 10 obtained by Expression (9),

Ac 1 : an austenite transformation start temperature in ° C. during heating,

Ac 3 : an austenite transformation completion temperature in ° C. during heating,

T max : an annealing temperature in ° C.,

T i : an average temperature in ° C. in an i-th period when a residence time in the temperature range of 720° C. to 500° C. is divided into 10 periods, and

t′: 1/20 s of an entire residence time in the temperature range of 450° C. to 700° C.

13 . The method of manufacturing a steel sheet according to claim 12 ,

wherein in the process of cooling in the annealing process, hot-dip galvanizing is performed on the cold-rolled steel sheet.

14 . The method of manufacturing a steel sheet according to claim 13 ,

wherein in the process of cooling in the annealing process, alloying is performed after the hot-dip galvanizing.

15 . The method of manufacturing a steel sheet according to claim 12 ,

wherein in the process of cooling in the annealing process, hot-dip zinc alloy plating is performed on the cold-rolled steel sheet.

16 . The method of manufacturing a steel sheet according to claim 15 ,

wherein in the process of cooling in the annealing process, alloying is performed after the hot-dip zinc alloy plating.