Surface hot-shortness of steels induced by a small amount of copper and tin from scrap steels and its suppression methods

The recycling of scrap steels can be difficult due to the tramp elements that they can contain. During the steelmaking process, tramp elements such as Cu and Sri are difficult to be removed; and it is these elements that cause surface cracking of steels during hot rolling process (i.e. Cu and Sri liquid embrittlement).The paper consists of three different experiments into the suppression of surface cracking during the hot rolling process. For the oxidation in air, the surface cracking most severely occurred in the specimens which were oxidized around 1100 degrees C in the tested range of 950-1200 degrees C after a 1250 degrees C heating. For the change in oxidation atmosphere from air to water vapor, the surface cracking occurred more severely although the mass gains were smaller in water vapor than in air oxidation. For the addition of Si and Ni in the water vapor conditions of 0%-30%H2O, the surface cracking was found to be suppressed effectively when the mass gain increased. The Cu and Sri enriched alloys at the scale/steel interface were closely observed by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The mechanism for suppression of the surface cracking was explained in terms of back diffusion of Cu and Sri into the steel and/or occlusion of Cu and Sri into the scale through the development of a rugged scale/steel interface.