Automotive Materials

Autobody Materials IF : Interstitial Free steel

Interstitial-free (IF) steels, also referred to as ultra-low carbon (ULC) or extra-low carbon (ELC) very low carbon and nitrogen contents The processing and chemistry of IF steels produce very high ductility and formability, albeit at low strength

Automotive Materials

Autobody Materials IF : Interstitial Free steel

Despite such low levels of interstitials, further alloying, by additions of titanium and/or niobium, are made to remove carbon and nitrogen from solid solution by the precipitation of carbides, nitrides, and other compounds IF steels border on being almost pure iron ( almost ZERO PERCENTAGE of Carbon)

Automotive Materials

Autobody Materials IF : Interstitial Free steel - Product

Niobium is considered only to combine with carbon Nb + C NbC Cold-rolled and annealed sheet steels annealed at 650 C Two strengthening approaches are used: solid-solution strengthening and bake hardening Bake hardening refers to the increment of strength that develops in cold formed sheet steel during baking of automotive panels. Bake-hardening at 175 C for 20 minutes Steels with very low interstitial contents exhibit excellent formability with low yield strength, high elongation, and good deep drawability Yield strengths typically range between 140 and 180 MPa (20 and 26 ksi) and Tensile strengths range between 290 and 340 MPa (42 and 49 ksi)

Automotive Materials

Autobody Materials TRIP : Transformation Induced Plasticity Steels Basic Concept

Similar to dual-phase steels, trip steels have emerged as an energy-absorbing high-strength steel for the automobile. The term trip is derived from the mechanism of transformation induced plasticity. These steels contain a high percentage of retained austenite (1015%). ( austenitic structure @ RT). The austenite transforms to martensite during the forming of the part (PLASTIC DEFORMATION During Crash), thus providing enhanced formability or transforms upon impact in a crash.

Automotive Materials

Autobody Materials TRIP : Microstructure, Composition & Properties

Microstructure: austenite remains in the ferritic-bainitic basic matrix, The bainitic structure consists of acicular ferrite and retained austenite Acicular ferrite is a microstructure of ferrite that is characterized by needle shaped crystallites or grains when viewed in two dimensions

Composition:

Automotive Materials

Autobody Materials TRIP : Microstructure, Composition & Properties

Mechanical Property: TRIP steels are intercritically annealed and isothermally transformed. The microstructure after heat-treatment consists of ferrite, bainite, retained austenite Manganese is used for hardenability and strength Silicon plays an important role on the stabilisation of the retained austenite 590- 780 Mpa high strength steel sheet superior formability

The excellent mechanical properties exhibited by the TRansformation Induced Plasticity steels are mainly due to the martensitic transformation of the metastable retained austenite induced by strain