Structure and properties of 17G1S-U low-carbon pipe steel microalloyed by boron

The results of analysis of the influence of boron microalloying on structure and properties of 17G1S-U pipe steel are given in the paper. Studies of metal structure were performed by electron microscopy and local X-ray spectral analysis. It has been established that metal containing 0.006 % of boron is characterized by an increased volume concentration to 0.029 % of oxide (OS) and oxysulfide (OSB) inclusions, whose content in metal without boron reaches 0.006 %. Separate sulphide inclusions (CB), whose concentration does not exceed 0.004 % against 0.029 % in a metal without boron, containing 0.01 % S is practically absent in the metal with boron containing 0.003 % S. The microalloying of pipe steel by boron has ensured the preferential formation of small nonmetallic inclusions, evenly distributed in the volume of metal. The proportion of nonmetallic inclusions with size less than 2 (rm is 76.1 %, whereas in steel without boron it is only 58.5 %. In this case, large nonmetallic inclusions of more than 10 rm are practically absent in the sample with boron. Their share does not exceed 0.6 %, which is 22 times less than their amount in the sample without boron. The structure of the sample without boron consists mainly of ferrite and a small amount of perlite, and the sample with boron is represented by a dispersed ferritic-bainitic structure. Increasing the microhardness of both ferrite and pearlite 80 and 100 HV10, respectively, is observed by adding boron to steel. The mechanical properties of 10 mm hot rolled metal from boron-containing 17G1S-U pipe steel are characterized by increased strength properties with preservation of plastic characteristics, due to the formation of predominantly small nonmetallic inclusions and a finely dispersed ferritic-bainitic structure. The absolute values of the yield stress and the time resistance of pipe steel containing in mass %: 0.006 B and 0.003 S are achieved without heat treatment at 585 and 685 MPa, respectively, and meet the X80 strength class, while retaining sufficiently high plastic characteristics. The pipe steel without boron containing 0.01 % of S belongs to the X70 strength class and is characterized by tensile strength lowered to 540 and 610 MPa and a temporary resistance, respectively.