Effect of Boron Precipitation Behavior on the Hot Ductility of Boron Containing Steel

The effect of boron (B) precipitation behavior on the hot ductility of B containing steel was investigated. Hot ductility of B containing steel was sensitive to the cooling rate (CR) in the range of 1 to 20 K/s (1 to 20 °C/s), whereas that of B-free steel showed little change with CR. Increased CR causes deepening and widening of the ductility trough in B containing steel. Particle tracking autoradiography (PTA) analysis and transmission electron microscope (TEM) image of the samples show that boron nitride (BN) particles form along prior austenite grain boundaries, and that as CR increases, these particles become smaller and more numerous. This increase in the number of small BN precipitates may promote intergranular fracture, leading to a decrease in hot ductility in the lower austenite temperature region (1173 to 1273 K (900 to 1000 °C)). Furthermore, the formation of filmlike ferrite at ~1123 K (850 °C) causes a decrease in the hot ductility of this steel regardless of B addition and CR.