Effects of Mn and Al on the Intragranular Acicular Ferrite Formation in Rare Earth Treated C-Mn Steel

Abstract

The influence of Al, Mn and rare earth (RE) on microstructure of C-Mn steel was investigated. The capacities of different RE inclusions to induce intragranular acicular ferrite (AF) formation were compared. Result shows that RE treatment could make C-Mn steel from large amounts of intragranular AF. Al killed is detrimental to the formation of intragranular AF in RE-treated C-Mn steel. An upper bainite structure would replace the AF when Al content increased to 0.027 mass %. The optimal Mn content to form AF is about 0.75-1.31 mass %. The effective RE inclusion which could induce AF nucleation is La2O2S. When patches of MnS are attached on the surface of La2O2S inclusion, AF nucleation capacity of RE-containing inclusion could enlarge obviously. The existence of manganese-depleted zone and low lattice misfit would be the main reason of La-containing inclusion inducing AF nucleation in C-Mn steel.