Developments in Advanced High Strength Steels

Debanshu Bhattacharya
(Research and Development Center, Mittal Steel, East Chicago, Indiana, U.S.A.)

Abstract: Two major drivers for the use of newer steels in the automotive industry are fuel efficiency and increased safety
performance. Fuel efficiency is mainly a function of weight of steel parts, which in turn, is controlled by gauge and design. Safety is
determined by the energy absorbing capacity of the steel used to make the part. All of these factors are incentives for the U.S.
automakers to use Advanced High Strength Steels (AHSS) to replace the conventional steels used to manufacture structural parts in
the past. AHSS is a general term used to describe various families of steels. The most common AHSS is the dual phase steel that
consists of a ferrite-martensite microstructure. These steels are characterized by high strength, good ductility, low yield to tensile
strength ratio and high bake-hardenability. Another class of AHSS is the multi-phase steel which has a complex microstructure
consisting of various phase constituents and a high yield to tensile strength ratio. TRansformation Induced Plasticity (TRIP) steels is
the latest class of AHSS steels finding interest among the U.S. automakers. These steels consist of a ferrite-bainite microstructure
with significant amount of retained austenite phase and show the highest combination of strength and elongation, so far, among the
AHSS in use. High level of energy absorbing capacity combined with a sustained level of high n value up to the limit of uniform
elongation as well as high bake hardenability make these steels particularly attractive for safety critical parts and parts needing
complex forming. In this paper, recent developments in the U.S. in all these various classes of AHSS will be discussed. Finally,
martensitic steels with very high strengths are also in use for certain parts.

1 Introduction developments, both in the plant and in the laboratory,

Two major factors have been driving the development of AHSS are briefly discussed. It should be made
of new steel products for the automotive industry. The clear, at the very outset, that this paper will not cover
first is the desire for increased fuel economy, which in classical high strength steels such as rephosphorized
addition to design, is largely controlled by steel LCAK or classic HSLA steels, but will include the
thickness. In order to address this aspect of reduced following AHSS; dual-phase, multiphase (or complex
steel gauge, products with higher strengths and at least phase), TRIP, and martensitic steels. Both cold rolled
equivalent ductility/formability are needed. Initially, uncoated as well as coated (galvanized and
the focus was on body panels where development of galvannealed) steels will be covered.
high strength IF or bake hardenable steels allowed
reduction of steel thickness. However, in addition to 2 Dual Phase Steels
dent resistance, stiffness is another requirement of Among AHSS, dual phase steels are gaining the
outer body panels and even with higher steel strength, widest usage among automakers. This is because they
thickness can not be reduced below a certain provide an excellent combination of strength and
minimum from the stiffness point of view. So, while ductility while at the same time are widely available
some efforts are still ongoing in this area, the majority due to the relative ease of manufacture. As a result, a
of activity in the gauge reduction arena has been the large number of dual phase products have been
development of advanced high strength steels (AHSS) developed and used in the U.S.
for structural applications. The second driver is The following Table 1 is a summary of the dual phase
increased focus on safety performance and the major product property requirements. Requirements for the
factor in this case is the ability of the steel for same product sometimes vary widely; hence only
increased energy absorption. For this aspect, AHSS representative property targets are listed. Also,
with increased total elongation and, in particular requirements of total elongation depend on steel gauge;
uniform elongation, are the steels of choice for values shown here are for 1.6-2.0 mm range. Finally,
development activities. In this paper, current

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the test results are for JIS-T samples except for GI 600
DP where it is ASTM-L.

Table 1 Dual Phase steels and their mechanical property

requirements
TS (MPa) YS TE (%)
Product
min. (MPa) min.
Cold Rolled 590 MPa Dual 305-
590 24
Phase (CR 590 DP) 450

Cold Rolled 780 MPa Dual 420- Fe Cst Cϒ1 Cϒ2 C,%
780 14
Phase (CR 780 DP) 550
Figure 1 Pseudo binary Fe (Me)-C diagram, illustrating
Cold Rolled 980 MPa Dual 600- concentration of carbon in austenite as a function of heating
980 10
Phase (CR 980 DP) 720 in two-phase region
Galvanized 600 MPa Dual 340-
600 23
Phase (GI 600 DP) 410

Galvanized 780 MPa Dual 420-

780 14
Phase (GI 780 DP) 550

Galvannealed 590 MPa 300-

590 23
Dual Phase (GA 590 DP) 410

Galvannealed 780 MPa Dual 440-

780 12
Phase (GA 780 DP) 560

Galvannealed 980 MPa Dual 600-

980 10
Phase (GA 980 DP) 720

All the steels developed are based on annealing in the

two-phase (inter-critical) temperature region and the Figure 2 CCT diagrams for a steel of 0.14C-0.3Cr-1.2Mn-
consequent increase in carbon content in austenite in 0.5Si-0.002B cooled from inter-critical temperature range
(solid lines) and from γ region (dashed lines)
comparison with the average carbon content in the
steel. Thus, as shown in Fig. 1, carbon in austenite at a
lower inter-critical temperature Cγ2, is higher than carbon has very important consequences for
carbon at a higher temperature, Cγ1, at the same total production of dual-phase and TRIP steels. In
steel carbon content. particular, for the steel presented in Fig. 2, the
The comparison of CCT diagrams after intercritical resulting enrichment of remaining austenite by carbon
annealing with CCT of the same steel after annealing completely suppresses bainite reaction and evidently
in γ region, i.e. after complete austenitization, displays decreases Ms temperature at lower cooling rates. In
some critical features of their difference shown in Fig. other steels, as shown by the authors[2], it shifts the
2[1]. Higher carbon content in austenite after bainite transformation toward lowers cooling rates.
intercritical annealing results in a significant shift of
pearlite transformation towards lower temperature and 2.1 Cold rolled dual phase steels
slower cooling rates. It is clear that the relative The cold rolled dual phase steels described here have
fraction of the formed ferrite always increases, and been developed using the advantages of the water
significantly at certain cooling rates. quench continuous annealing line at Mittal Steel.
The effect of intercritical annealing is not confined As is clear from Fig. 1 the closer to Ac1 the annealing
only to higher C , in comparison with the fully temperatures are, the higher the Cγ (carbon content in
austenitized condition. The acceleration of “new austenite) and higher its hardenability. Thus, effects of
ferrite” formation due to the presence of pre-existing annealing temperature (Tan) and cooling rate are
phase boundaries and corresponding repartitioning of interrelated. The lower the Tan in the α+γ region and

2
therefore the higher Cγ, the lower the permissible Representative microstructures for two of the products
cooling rate that allows martensite transformation CR 590 DP and CR 980 DP are shown in Fig. 4.
while avoiding pearlite and/or bainite transformation.
Direct quenching from inter-critical temperature range 70

allows achieving very high strength of steels without

expensive alloying. By water quenching directly from 750oC

Martensite, %
50 790oC
the inter-critical region but without initial slow 815oC

cooling, any desired volume fraction of martensite,

which will be equal to the amount of formed austenite, 30

can be obtained[3]. However, the final properties of

directly water-quenched steels are sensitive to 10
550 650 750 850
fluctuations of annealing parameters, which affect the Quenching temperature, oC
amount of formed austenite.
Interrupted cooling cycle is a combination of
beneficial features of direct quenching and relatively Figure 3 Volume fraction of martensite as a function of
Quenching Temperature after various Annealing
slow initial cooling. The lowest temperature of water Temperatures; for a 0.1C-1.42Mn steel
quenching is important for the shape of steel sheet, its
YS/TS ratio and partly its elongation. Fig. 3 presents Table 2 Mechanical properties of cold rolled
effects of quenching temperature, Tq, (beginning of dual phase steels
water quenching) at various annealing temperatures TS (MPs) YS (MPa) TE (%)
on properties of 0.1C-1.5Mn- 0.3Si steel. Similar CR 590 DP 625 370 26
results were presented for various amounts of C and CR 780 DP 820 470 18
Mn in an earlier work[4].As shown, the lower the CR 980 DP 1030 675 13
annealing temperature (higher stability of austenite),
the larger the temperature plateau of quenching
temperature where no changes in volume fraction of
martensite and therefore TS occur.
As was shown in the earlier work[4], after overaging at
260 C it is possible to meet the necessary
requirements of CR 590DP grade (see Table 1) at a (a) (b)
rather wide range of C and Mn content, Tan, and Tq. Fig.4 Typical Microstructure of (a) CR 590 DP and (b) CR
980 DP
The optimal chemistry was determined based on the
best combination of flexibility of annealing 2.2 Galvannealed dual phase steels
(hardenability) and weldability. A 0.10C-1.0Mn-0.3Si Property requirements of Galvannealed Dual Phase
steel is produced commercially using annealing at 770 Steels have been presented in Table 1. Low YS and
C, quenching from 730 and overaging at 220 C. therefore low YS/TS ratio can be achieved only by
Typical properties of this CR 590DP grade are obtaining ferrite-martensite dual-phase structure.
presented in Table 2. A schematic of the metallurgical concept to obtain
The same principles can also be used to produce CR dual phase structure after galvannealing is presented
780 DP and CR 980 DP. Higher volume fractions of in Fig. 5. Inter-critical annealing, as was described for
martensite are obviously needed for the higher above, can be used to obtain austenite enriched by
strength steels and the processing parameters have to carbon. The basic idea is to have such a combination
be controlled accordingly in order to achieve the of carbon and manganese content that it ensures a very
required properties. Typical properties for these high stability of gamma-phase, sufficient to prevent,
products are given in Table 2. as much as possible, any decomposition of austenite
during galvanizing / galvannealing. The final austenite

3
to martensite transformation should take place during 700
32

final air-cooling. 30
TS
600 28

YS, TS, MPa

26

TE,%
soaking TE
A
500 24

slow cooling 22
F+A 400
20
YS
F

300 18
heating galvannealing
16
750 780 810 840
zinc pot
A
air Annealing Tem perature, C
cooling

B+P+M
(a)
F
M

F+A
600 TS
F
F
initial microsructure: F+M
550
F+B+P+(M)

YS, TS, MPa

500
Figure 5 Metallurgical concept of obtaining dual-phase
during the galvannealing process 450

400
Additional contribution to enrichment of austenite by 350
YS
carbon takes place during the initial, relatively slow, 300
cooling typical for all galvannealing lines. As a result
460 480 500 520
of low cooling rate there is enough time for “new OA, C
ferrite” formation from austenite at sufficiently high
(b)
temperatures when a near-equilibrium carbon
Figure 6 Effect of (a) annealing and (b) overaging
redistribution from ferrite to remaining austenite can (galvannealing) temperature on tensile properties of GA
be achieved. This phenomenon has some important 590DP

practical consequences such as significantly

decreasing the sensitivity of the final structure and Zinc pot temperature is practically constant (~460 C),
properties to annealing temperature. This feature has and cooling rate is determined by line speed, which
been observed by several workers and is sometimes cannot be changed without sacrificing productivity.
called the effect of “self-stabilization” of dual-phase Thus critical variable parameters of processing GA
structure[5,6]. In fact, the higher the annealing 590DP steel include annealing and galvannealing
temperature and higher the amount of initial austenite, temperatures, T an and T ga, respectively.
the lower its stability due to its lower carbon content Fig. 6a, showing mechanical properties as a function
and the greater the portion of “new ferrite” formation. of annealing temperature of this steel, confirms the
As a result of variable amount of “new” ferrite, a low sensitivity of tensile strength (volume fraction of
roughly constant amount of martensite (and tensile martensite) to annealing temperature, as discussed
strength) can be produced in dual-phase steels over a above, inherent to slow cooling from two-phase
reasonably wide “window” of annealing temperatures, temperature region. On the other hand, total
sometimes up to 40-80 C. elongation increases with higher annealing
The GA 590DP steel has been developed using the temperatures due to a larger volume of ductile “new
cycle presented above. The chemical composition is a ferrite” formed by decomposition of a larger volume
steel of ~0.06-0.10% carbon alloyed only by of lower carbon austenite. Yield strength decreases in
manganese, Its high Mn content combined with a high parallel to TS decrease due to a lower martensite
carbon content in the final portion of austenite, which volume fraction. So the highest Tan should be limited
can reach 0.4-0.6%, ensures both high hardenability of only by the need to achieve the necessary minimum
austenite and low martensite start temperature, Ms. tensile strength.

4
Fig.6b presents effects of Tga. The higher the dependence on volume fraction of obtained martensite
galvannealing temperature, the more chances that the that is typical for dual-phase steels.[8]
remaining austenite would decompose partly by Again, higher strengths such as 780 or 980 MPa need
bainite reaction before martensite transformation higher amounts of alloying to increase hardenability
during final air-cooling. This results in lower final of martensite under the relatively slow cooling rate of
strength of steel. Thus, Tga should be kept as low as standard hot dip galvanizing lines. Typical properties
possible while still being sufficient to ensure quality of these steels are given in Table 3.
of coating.
While the basic metallurgical principles remain the Table 3 Mechanical Properties of Galvannealed &
same for higher strength steels such as 780 DP and Galvanized Dual Phase Steels
980 DP, higher alloying is of course, necessary. Product TS (MPa) YS (MPa) TE (%)
2.3 Galvanized dual phase steels GA 590 DP 620 355 26
Requirements of Galvanized dual phase product have GI 600 DP 650 360 26
been presented in Table 1. Obtaining dual-phase GA 780 DP 795 490 15
structure using common HDG lines can be achieved GA 980 DP*
using the same concept shown in Fig. 5. The key * under development
factor of this approach is sufficient, rather high
alloying (>2%Mn and/or additions of Cr, Mo, V and Typical microstructure of coated dual phase steels is
so on). However, this approach can result in welding given in Fig. 7.
problems on the part of both the manufacturer and the
customer.
Mittal Steel has a HDG facility that is equipped with
the Zinquench (ZQ) technology[7] whereby a strip can
enter the zinc pot at temperatures as high as 600-630
C. Very high heat conductivity and a very large
(a) (b)
volume of zinc in the pot equipped with mixing Fig.7 Microstructure of (a) GA 590 DP and (b) GI 600 DP
devices result in very high cooling rate (close to 100 steels, SEM, 3000X
C/sec) in the range of snout temperature (Tsn) to zinc
pot temperature. This technology provides a unique 3 Multiphase Steels
opportunity to keep a higher amount of remaining Multiphase steels, also referred to as complex phase
austenite at leaner alloying. This is further enhanced steels in Europe, are steels with a higher level of yield
by the other critical advantage of ZQ, which is to strength at the same comparable tensile strength levels
improve the wettability of the steel strip so that it is of dual phase steels. Relatively few such steels are in
possible to have good quality coating at Si content as use in the U.S.
high as 0.65%. To obtain the high YS/TS ratio, different metallurgical
At the same time, the contribution to strengthening by principles need to be used for cold rolled and for
silicon provides the same product strength at less galvannealed products. For cold rolled steels,
martensite volume fraction and therefore gives an achievement of higher YS/TS ratio of >0.7 is possible
additional option to decrease the content of carbon or with a higher overage temperature on an appropriate
alloying elements that could negatively affect carbon dual phase structure. For galvannealed steels, however,
equivalent and, therefore, weldability of steels. higher YS cannot be obtained from an initial dual
Typical microstructure of GI contains the dominant phase structure since in the galvannealing process,
martensite type with a very small portion of bainite as martensite is formed only in the final step of air-
strengthening phases in ferrite matrix. Regardless of cooling and no further overaging is possible. The only
the combination of annealing and snout temperatures way to gain yield strength in galvannealed multiphase
the final strength displays practically linear structure is to obtain appropriate mixture of pearlite,

5
bainite as well as ferrite straightened by grain becomes lower than room temperature. This stable
refinement and precipitation strengthening by Nb. retained austenite (RA) transforms to martensite under
Typical mechanical properties for these steels are subsequent mechanical stress/strain resulting in
given in Table 4. Transformation Induced Plasticity as discovered by
Zackay[9].
Table 4 Mechanical Properties of Multiphase Steels
Product TS (MPa) YS (MPa) TE (%) 0 .2 6 GA 590 T RIP GA 590 D P
CR 590 HY 690 515 23 0 .2 4
CR 980 HY 1005 795 15

Insta nta ne ou s n
0 .2 2
GA 590 HY 620 505 26
0 .2

0 .1 8
Typical microstructures for a cold rolled and
0 .1 6
galvannealed multiphase steels are shown in Fig. 8.
0 .1 4

0 .1 2
0 0 .04 0 .08 0. 12 0.1 6 0 .2 0.2 4

T rue stra in e

Fig.9 Comparison of n vs. e curves for TRIP and dual

phase steels of the same strength
(a) (b)
Fig.8 Microstructure of (a) CR 590 HY and (b) GA 590
Implementation of this phenomenon to commercial
HY, 3000X
production requires the development of a
4 TRIP Steels chemistry/cycle combination that ensures the
TRIP steels, based on TRansformation Induced necessary rate of bainite reaction to match with
Plasticity effect offer the highest combination of available holding time in the bainite region, inherent
strength and elongation [9], which is a measure of to a given facility. In other words, one should ensure
high level of energy absorption. Simultaneously, TRIP overlapping the bainite temperature-time region with
steels display high n-value up to the limit of uniform the real Bainite Isothermal Temperature Time (BITT)
elongation as shown in Fig. 9.[10] restrictions. For relatively long holding times, this
In addition, they also show high bake hardening bainite reaction should not occur at a high rate so as to
compared to dual phase steels.[11] prevent carbide formation and to retain a significant
Initial enrichment of austenite by carbon takes place amount of high carbon austenite. In contrast, in HDG
during inter-critical annealing as shown in Fig. 1. The lines a composition, which is characterized by a fast
relatively slow initial cooling and the rather rapid bainite reaction at temperatures of zinc pot and
cooling down to the temperature of isothermal holding galvannealing, should be selected so that even these
results in further enrichment of the remaining short times would be sufficient for significant
austenite by carbon, enhancing its stability. Further transformation to bainite.
growth in its stability occurs during the austenite to Based on these principles, the following TRIP steels
bainite transformation in the presence of strong ferrite are being developed in the U.S.
forming elements. This significantly retards the Typical microstructure for TRIP steels using LaPera
carbide formation part of the bainite reaction and tint etching[14] are shown in Fig. 10.
helps to keep all carbon in the remaining austenite.
These elements are confined mostly by Si, Al, P[12]. 5 Martensitic Steels
As a result of such a high carbon content of more than Using water quenching in a continuous annealing line,
1-1.3% (authors data) or even 1.6%[13] in the final steels with 100% martensite are produced. These
portion of austenite, the martensite start temperature steels offer very high strength although ductility is

6
 Table 5 Target Mechanical Properties of TRIP Steels steels are heavily alloyed, their manufacturability and
TS (MPa) YS TE (%) hence their eventual use remains to be seen.
Product
min. (MPa) min.
Cold Rolled 590
TRIP
590 350-495 31 References:
Cold Rolled 780 [1] Fonstein N., Davidiuk A., Proceedings of 7th
780 410-500 21
TRIP International Conference on Heat Treatment of
Galvannealed 590 Materials, 1990, Moscow: 201-210.
590 360-510 26
TRIP
[2] Girina O., Fonstein N., Bhattacharya D.,
Galvanized 590 TRIP 590 380-480 27
Galvannealed 780 Proceedings of 45th MWSP Conference, 2003,
780 410-560 19
TRIP Chicago:403-414.
Galvanized 780 TRIP 780 440-500 21 [3] Nishimoto A., Hosoya Y., Nakaoka K., ISIJ, 21
(11), 1981: 778-782.
[4] Gupta I., Chang P.H., Technology of Continuously
Annealed Cold Rolled Sheet Steel, Conference
Proceedings, 1984, TMS-AMIE, Detroit: 263-276.
[5] Eldis G., Structure and properties of Dual Phase
Steels, Conference Proceedings, 1979, TME-AMIE:
202-220.
(a) (b) [6] Lagneborg R., Dual Phase and Cold Pressing
Fig.10 Microstructures of a typical TRIP steel using (a)
Nital (1000X) and (b) LePera (2000X) Vanadium Steels in the Automobile Industry,
Conference Proceedings, 1979, Berlin: 43-59.
lower than other AHS steels. The strength of the steel [7] Patil R., Sippola P., U.S. Patent 6177140, Jan.
is controlled by the carbon content and a complete 2001.
austenitizing temperature is used to obtain a fully [8] Patil R., Girina O. and Bhattacharya D.,
martensitic structure. The martensitic steels in Development of a Dual Phase High Strength
production in the U.S. is given below in Table 6. Galvanized Steel Using Zinquench Technology,
Galvatech, 2004, ISS, April 2004, Chicago: 439-447.
Table 6 Typical mechanical properties of martensitic steels [9] Zackey V., Parker E., Fahr D., Bush R., Trans. Of
Product TS (MPa) YS (MPa) TE (%) ASM, 60, 1967: 252-259.
M 130 1054 923 5.4 [10] Moriau O., Martinez L.T., Verleyzen P., Degrieck
M 160 1178 1020 5.1 J., Proceedings of International Conference on TRIP-
M 190 1420 1213 5.1 Aided High Strength Ferrous Alloys, 2002, Ghent:
M 220 1585 1350 4.7 247-251.
[11] Yakubovsky O., Fonstein N., Bhattacharya D.,
6 Future Proceedings of International Conference on TRIP-
While dual phase and multiphase steels are already Aided High Strength Ferrous Alloys, 2002,
used in production vehicles in the U.S., TRIP will be Ghent:263-270.
in production vehicles starting as early as 2006. [12] Traint S., Pichler A., Stiaszny P., Werner E.,
Martensitic steels have also been in use for bumpers Proceedings of 44th MWSP Conference, 2002: 139-
and door beams for some time now. The next 152.
generation of AHSS are likely to be a new class of [13] Mahieu J., Maki J., DeCooman B., Claessens S.,
steels based on TWin Induced Plasticity, called TWIP Met. and Mat. Trans., 33A (8), 2002: 2573-2580.
steels. These offer very high elongations of 60-80% at [14] LePera F.S., J. of Metals, 1980, 32, (3): 38-39.
comparable strength levels. However, since these

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