IlllllllllllllIlllllllllllllllllllllllliilllllllllillllliIlllllllllllllllll

US005326527A

United States Patent [191

[11]
[45]

Bodnar et al.

Jul. 5, 1994

Steels, in Proc. of 33rd Mechanical Working and Steel

Inventors: Richard L. Bodnar; Steven S. Hansen,

Processing Conference (Oct. 1991).

both of Bethlehem, Pa.

Bethlehem Steel Corporation,
Bethlehem, Pa.

[22] Filed:

Improved Notch Toughness (reference unknown).

um-Vanadium Steels of Structural Quality (1988).
ASTM Standard A36/A36M-88c, Standard Speci?ca

Sep. 8, 1992

Int. Cl.5 ............................................ .. C22C 38/14

US. Cl. ............... ..

.... .. 420/126; 420/128

Field of Search ........................ .. 420/93, 126, 128

References Cited
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
50-80911
61-23742

C. R. Killmore et al., Titanium Treated C-Mn, C-M

n-Nb and C-Mn-V Heavy Structural Plate Steels with

ASTM Standard A572/A572M-88c, Standard Speci?

cation for High-Strength Low-Alloy Columbi

[21] Appl. No.: 941,453

[56]

Date of Patent:

STRUCTURAL STEEL

[73] Assignee:

[51]
[52]
[58]

5,326,527

During Recrystallization Controlled Rolling of HSLA

[54] TITANIUM-BEARING LOW-COST

[75]

Patent Number:

' tion for Structural Steel (1988).

ASTM Standard A529/A529M-88, Standard Speci?

cation for Structural Steel with 42 ksi [290 Mpa] Mini
mum Yield Point (} in. 113 mm] Maximum Thickness"

(1988).

7/1975 Japan ................................. .. 420/126

2/1986 Japan ................................. .. 420/126

OTHER PUBLICATIONS
J. S. Smaill et al., Effect of titanium additions on strai

n-aging characteristics and mechanical properties of

carbon-manganese reinforcing steels, Metals Technol
ogy, pp. 194-201 (1976).
L. A. Laduc et al., Hot Rolling of CMn-Ti Steel, in

Thermomechanical Processing of Microalloyed Austenite,

pp. 641-654 (1982).
S. Ye, "In?uence of Rolling and Cooling Process on
Microstructure and Properties of C-Mn Steel Treated
with Al-Ti-CaSi Combined Addition, Iron steel

(China), vol. 23(9), pp. 31-35 (1988).

Shyi-Chin Wang, The Effect of Titanium and Nitro
gen Contents on the Microstructure and Yield

Streength of Plain Carbon Steels, China Steel Techni

cal Report, No. 3, pp. 20-25 (1989).
F. B. Pickering, Titanium nitride technology, in Mi

Primary Examiner-Deborah Yee

[57]

ABSTRACT

A fully killed steel has a composition of from about

0.005 to about 0.020 percent titanium and from about
0.004 to about 0.015 percent nitrogen, with the mole
ratio of titanium to nitrogen being less than about 3.42.
One grade of this steel exhibiting a 42 KSI minimum
yield strength has from about 0.15 to about 0.27 percent
carbon and from 0 to about 0.04 percent vanadium.
Another grade exhibiting a 50 KSI minimum yield
strength has from about 0.05 to about 0.27 percent car
bon and at least about 0.02 percent vanadium. The bal
ance of each steel is iron and other elements. Copper

may optionally be provided for strength and corrosion

resistance. The steel is prepared by continuous casting
and hot rolling, without any quenching and tempering
required to achieve the desired properties.

croalloyea Vanadium Steel. pp. 79-95 (1990).

6 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets

Tadeusz Siwecki et al., Evolution of Microstructure

LEGEND

ksi 55
50

SY2O.TIRE7N'GL-TDH

45

40

35

0.5

1 -0

PLATE THICKNESS I

'1.5
INCHES

2.0

US. Patent

July 5, 1994

Sheet 1 of 2

5,326,527

FIG. 1
FURNISH AND

CONTINUOUS

MELT STEEL

'

HOT ROLL '

CAST STEEL

CAST STEEL

K 22

K24

\ 20

FIG. '2
70

q
.w 65 11

LEGEND
\

\
\

3E

\\

'-

<> BASE + 0.04v + Ti- N

@LiQ-PP!________ __

\\ Ox

"_

\\

\\~\

\o

E
V)

\x

3 5s +

\\

O --------- __
\\\\
_______ ""0
\_

E
>

>

3 5o

A572 Gr. 50 Mm.

45

'

0.5

1.0

PLATE THICKNESS.

1.5
INCHES

2.0
~

US. Patent

July 5, 1994

Sheet 2 of 2

5,326,527

FIG. 3

O
D
AL

EB_T. mi
T.
.hMBA.
in1

p.N0zhw4omxd;

6543O50O5

_N_

_
_

u
_

u
_
-

m
m
-

\\\\./ \\5

._
_
_
_

w
A\l \\\A

A5

GL 2 M

4.l

l2

O- S

.m.1

1 -5

PLATE THICKNESS. INCHES

2.0

' 5,326,527

ing elements. In particular, it would be desirable to

TITANIUM-BEARING LOW-COST STRUCTURAL
STEEL

develop a steel that meets ASTM A572 Grade 50 or

ASTM A529/A572 Grade 42 properties, but at lower

costs than possible with the existing steels used for these

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to steels, and, more particu
larly, to a steel that achieves good structural properties

grades. The present invention provides such steels, and

their processing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

with low alloying and production costs.

The present invention provides steels that meet the

Low-alloy steels are iron-based metallic alloys, con

taining additional alloying elements in amounts of up to 10 ASTM A572 standard for a 50 R51 grade and the

ASTM A529/A572 standard for a 42 KSI grade steel at

a lower cost per ton than other steels used to meet these

about 2 percent by weight, that are used in a wide vari

ety of applications. Such steels typically have good

mechanical and physical properties, generally low cost,
and a high degree of versatility. Their properties can be
varied over wide ranges by varying the alloying ele

grade requirements. The steels are produced by contin

uous casting and hot rolling, and do not require any
accelerated cooling after the hot rolling is complete.

ments and processing of the steel to its ?nal form.

The present invention deals with steels used in struc
tural applications, such as beams, plates, bars, and the
like. Such steels have medium levels of alloying ele

with lower costs, and also provide improved competi

examples of interest here, ASTM Speci?cation A36 sets

steel meeting the ASTM A572 Grade 50 speci?cation

being processed by casting and hot rolling. ASTM

about 0.1 to about 0.4 percent silicon, from about 0.005

to about 0.020 percent titanium, from about 0.004 to
about 0.015 percent nitrogen, more than about 0.02

These steels can be substituted for existing steels but

tiveness for steels as compared with competing materi

als such as reinforced concrete in many applications.
ments that are, on the whole, relatively inexpensive. 20 In accordance with the invention, a steel meeting the
They are processed by casting and hot rolling, some
ASTM A529/A572 Grade 42 speci?cation has a com
times with accelerated cooling after rolling to improve
position of, in weight percent, from about 0.15 to about
the ?nal mechanical properties. The properties of the
0.27 percent carbon, from about 0.50 to about 1.5 per
?nal processed steel pieces depend upon their composi
cent manganese, less than about 0.04 percent phospho
25
tion, processing, and ?nal thickness. Thinner sections
rus, less than about 0.05 percent sulfur, from about 0.1
usually have properties superior to those of otherwise
to about 0.4 percent silicon, from about 0.005 to about
identical, but thicker, sections.
0.020 percent titanium, from about 0.004 to about 0.015
To improve the uniformity of such steels for their
percent nitrogen, from 0 to about 0.04 percent vana
users, standards have been established for these and
other types of steels by organizations such as the Ameri 30 dium, and the remainder iron plus incidental impurities.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a
can Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). In some

has a composition of, in weight percent, from about 0.05

forth the chemical and physical requirements for a
to about 0.27 percent carbon, from about 0.50 to about
plain carbon steel having a minimum yield point of 36
thousand pounds per square inch (KSI). This steel is 35 1.5 percent manganese, less than about 0.04 percent
phosphorus, less than about 0.05 percent sulfur, from
inexpensive, having no expensive alloying elements and
A529 establishes standards for a somewhat similar grade
of steel, except that this steel achieves a minimum yield
point of 42 KSI in sections of maximum thickness l
inch. ASTM A572 de?nes standards for steels that
achieve speci?ed minimum yield strengths such as 42

percent vanadium, and the remainder iron plus inciden

tal impurities.
For each of these steel types, the mole ratio of tita

KSI or 50 KSI in thicker sections, but at the cost of the

nium to nitrogen is less than about 3.42. There is more
use of more expensive alloying additions such as vana
than about 0.005 percent aluminum to ensure that the
dium or niobium. (There are, of course, many other 45 steel is deoxidized to a fully killed state. The steel

grades of steels with other sets of properties, but the

may optionally contain other elements that do not inter

three standards just discussed are of the most interest in

fere with the strengthening mechanism resulting from

the presence of the titanium, nitrogen, and vanadium in
the steel. For example, the steel may contain copper,

relation to the present invention.) Many suppliers of

steel products can supply any or all of these grades, but

at varying costs depending upon the cost of the alloying 50 preferably in an amount of more than about 0.20 percent

elements and the processing.

by weight, to contribute to solid solution strengthening

and to improve the corrosion resistance of the steel

These standards are used by structural designers to

order steels that meet particular strength requirements,

at minimum cost. If, for example, the designer requires
I-bearns with only a 36 KS1 yield point steel, then the
most inexpensive grades meeting ASTM A36 can be
used. If a 42 KSI yield point is required in a thin section,

55

where that is required for the application.

The steel is processed by continuous casting and hot
rolling. Continuous casting results in a uniform distribu

tion of small titanium nitride particles in the steel. Hot

rolling refers to rolling above the austenite recrystalli
zation temperature. For the slab reheating temperature
50 KS1 yield point is required in a thicker section, a
and range of thickness considered, hot rolling refers to
more expensive steel meeting ASTM A572 would be
rolling above 1500 F.
speci?ed.
In one preferred form of the invention, the steel has
The various steel standards typically specify property
about
0.17 percent carbon, about 1.05 percent manga
levels that must be attained and maximum levels of
nese, about 0.015 percent phosphorus, about 0.011 per
alloying elements, but. not minimum levels of alloying
elements. A continuing effort by steelmakers is there 65 cent sulfur, about 0.22 percent silicon, about 0.012 per
cent titanium, and about 0.009 percent nitrogen. This
fore to develop steels that meet the property require
steel meets the ASTM A529/A572, Grade 42 require
ments of the standards, but with reduced cost as a con
ment in a hot-rolled steel.
sequence of reduced levels of the more expensive alloy
an ASTM A529 grade steel might be ordered. If a 42 or

5,326,527

strengthen it by restricting austenite grain growth dur

ing processing. A small austenite grain size is desirable,
as it leads to a small ferrite grain size in the ?nal prod
uct, and the small ferrite grain size contributes to im

proved strength and toughness of the ?nal product. If

mon product sections in the hot-rolled condition. With

about 0.02 percent vanadium, the steel meets these re
quirements in sections of up to about 1 inch in thickness.
With about 0.04 percent vanadium, the steel meets these
requirements in sections of up to at least 2 inches in

the titanium content is too low, an insuf?cient number

of the titanium nitride particles are formed. If the tita

nium content is too high, coarse titanium nitride parti
cles form in the liquid state. These coarse titanium ni
tride particles act as inclusions in the steel, degrading its
toughness. The coarse titanium nitride particles also are

thickness.
The present invention is an advance in the art of
structural steels. This steel, having a low vanadium
content and not requiring accelerated cooling after hot
rolling, has a relatively low cost. It is estimated that the

not effective for restricting austenite grain growth dur

ing processing.
The lower limit of the nitrogen in the steel depends
upon the processing to be used. Because the TiN parti
cles are relatively stable at low nitrogen levels when
reheating at temperatures of 2300 F. and less, a low
level of about 0.004 percent nitrogen is sufficient to
achieve the desired grain re?nement necessary to meet

steel will have a cost about $2-3 per ton less than that of
conventional higher-vanadium steels now used to meet

the ASTM A572 speci?cations. The steel can be pre

pared in conventional mills with continuous casting and

hot rolling. Other features and advantages of the pres

the yield strength requirement. When the reheating

ent invention will be apparent from the following more

detailed description of the preferred embodiment, taken

in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which
illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the in

The titanium and nitrogen in the steel are intended to

form titanium nitride particles of a size of about 20-60
nanometers that are dispersed throughout the steel and

In another preferred form, the steel has about 0.17

percent carbon, about 1.05 percent manganese, about
0.015 percent phosphorus, about 0.011 percent sulfur,
about 0.22 percent silicon, about 0.012 percent titanium,
about 0.011 percent nitrogen, and from about 0.02 to
about 0.04 percent vanadium. This steel meets the
ASTM A572, Grade 50 requirements for many com

temperature exceeds about 2300 F., some of the TiN

25

particles can dissolve, and austenite grain growth oc

curs. Excess nitrogen is necessary to stabilize the TiN

particles to ensure a ?ne grain size when using reheating

vention.

temperatures from 2300 F. to 2500 F. or more.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The mole ratio of titanium to nitrogen should be less
FIG. 1 is a block diagram for the process of the inven 30 than about 3.42. For example, if the titanium content is
tion;

'

about 0.015 percent, the nitrogen should be present in

an amount of at least about 0.004 percent (40 parts per

FIG. 2 is a graph of yield strength as a function of
million). The presence of excess nitrogen minimizes the
section thickness for a steel of the invention, in relation
amount of dissolved titanium in the ?nal product, and
to the standard of ASTM A572 Grade 50; and
FIG. 3 is a graph of yield strength as a function of 35 hence the coarsening of the titanium nitride particles
during slab reheating for hot rolling and subsequent
section thickness for two steels of the invention, in rela
processing.
tion to the standard of ASTM A529/A572 Grade 42.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE

INVENTION
The present invention extends both to a composition
of steel and its method of preparation. The steel of the
invention has a composition of from about 0.005 to
about 0.020 percent titanium and from about 0.004 to
about 0.015 percent nitrogen, with the mole ratio of
titanium to nitrogen being less than about 3.42. One
grade of this steel exhibiting a 42 KSI minimum yield

strength and meeting ASTM A529/A572, Grade 42 has

from about 0.15 to about 0.27 percent carbon and from
0 to about 0.04 percent vanadium. Another grade exhib
iting a 50 KSI minimum yield strength and meeting '
ASTM A572, Grade 50 has from about 0.05 to about
0.27 percent carbon and at least about 0.02 percent
vanadium. Each of the steel types has from about 0.05 to
about 1.5 percent manganese, less than about 0.04 per 55
cent phosphorus, less than about 0.05 percent sulfur,
from about 0.1 to about 0.4 percent silicon, more than
about 0.005 percent aluminum, and the remainder iron

plus incidental impurities. (All compositions herein are

in weight percent, unless indicated otherwise.)

Additional nitrogen is provided in the steel above

that required for titanium nitride formation. Nitrogen,
along with manganese, silicon, and copper, when used,
produces solid solution strengthening. Sufficient excess
nitrogen is provided to react with vanadium, where
provided, to permit the formation of vanadium carboni
trides, as will be discussed subsequently. Taking these
other effects of nitrogen into account, the minimum
nitrogen content has been established at about 0.004
percent. The nitrogen content should not exceed about
0.015 percent, as amounts of nitrogen exceeding 0.015
percent can cause the extensive precipitation of coarse

titanium nitride particles in the liquid prior to casting.

The coarse titanium nitride particles are retained into
the solid state and ?nal product, and may reduce the

fracture toughness of the steel.

Vanadium, a relatively expensive element, is added to
the steel sparingly and only as necessary to meet prop

erty requirements. No vanadium is required for the steel

of the invention to meet the ASTM A529/A572 Grade

42 strength requirement in the hot-rolled condition,

4 although vanadium may be added to ensure a sufficient

margin above the requirement in thicker sections. Suf?

If the carbon, manganese, or silicon contents are

cient vanadium and nitrogen are added to meet the yield

below the respective indicated levels for each grade, the

steel does not achieve the strength requirements of the
respective speci?cation. If the carbon, manganese, or

strength requirement of the ASTM A572 Grade 50

steel. The vanadium reacts with the carbon and nitro

gen present in the steel to produce ?ne vanadium car
silicon contents are above the indicated levels, the steel 65 bonitride particles on the order of about 3-10 nanome
ters in size that have a strong influence on the strength
exceeds the permitted levels of the respective speci?ca
of the steel. It has been found that a vanadium addition
tion and is therefore technically and commercially un
of about 0.02 percent is required to meet the ASTM
acceptable.

5,326,527

A572 Grade 50 speci?cation in ?nal sections up to about

1 inch thick, and that about 0.04 percent is required to
meet the speci?cation in ?nal sections of about 1 to at
least 2 inches thick.
The steel is fully killed", a well known steelmaking
condition wherein the oxygen in the steel is removed.
Excessive free oxygen may not be present in the steel, as
it reacts with the titanium to form titanium oxide. The
titanium is therefore not available to form the desired

titanium nitride particulate. To fully kill the steel, the

oxygen may be removed by vacuum processing, but is
more economically removed by adding a strong oxide
former such as aluminum. In the present steel, there is
more than about 0.005 percent aluminum to ensure that
the steel is deoxidized to a fully killed" state.

property requirements have been discussed previously

in relation to the composition of the steel.
The following examples are intended to illustrate
aspects of the invention, but should not be taken as
limiting of the invention in any respect.
EXAMPLE I
A "base steel and ?ve modi?ed steels were pre

pared. The base steel is typical of that produced for

plates required to meet the ASTM A36 speci?cation. Its
composition in weight percent is about 0.17 percent
carbon, about 1.05 percent manganese, about 0.015 per

cent phosphorus, about 0.011 percent sulfur, about 0.22

percent silicon, about 0.05 percent aluminum, about

0.0040 percent nitrogen, balance iron and incidental

impurities. A Ti steel was prepared with about 0.015

percent titanium added to the base composition. A
Ti-N steel was prepared with about 0.015 percent
sulting from the titanium, nitrogen, and vanadium in the
titanium and about 0.0120 percent nitrogen. A Ti
steel. ASTM A529 and A572 permit the steel to contain
copper for corrosion resistance. To be consistent with 20 0.02V-N steel was prepared with about 0.015 percent
titanium, about 0.0120 percent nitrogen, and about 0.02
this requirement of the speci?cation, the steel may con
percent vanadium added to the base composition. A
tain copper, preferably in an amount of more than about
Ti-0.04V-N steel was prepared with about 0.015 per
0.20 percent by weight, to improve the corrosion resis
cent titanium, about 0.0120 percent nitrogen, and about
tance of the steel where that is required for the design
25 0.04 percent vanadium added to the base composition.
application.
A 0.08V steel was prepared with about 0.08 percent
The remainder of the steel is iron and incidental ele
vanadium added to the base composition. Each steel
ments that are often present in conventional steelmak

The steel may optionally contain other elements that

do not interfere with the strengthening mechanism re

ing practice.

was vacuum melted and cast as ingots 8; inches square

and 20 inches long. The casting was controlled to have

The steel according to the invention is melted accord
a cooling rate that approximates that of continuous
ing to conventional practice, numeral 20 of FIG. 1. In
casting.
the preferred approach the steel is melted in a basic
The ingots were heated to 2300 F. for three hours and
oxygen furnace. Other steelmaking practices such as
hot rolled to billets that were either 4 inches thick and
electric furnace and DC plasma are are acceptable.
5 inches wide, or 6 inches thick and 5 inches wide.
The steel is cast, numeral 22, at a cooling rate suf?
cient to produce a ?ne dispersion of titanium nitride 35 Pieces were cut from these billets and hot rolled to plate
thicknesses of 0.25, 0.50, 1.0, and 2.0 inches. The 2.0
particles throughout the steel upon solidification. In
inch thick plates were rolled from the 6 inch thick bil
commercial practice, the steel is continuously cast with
lets, and the other plates were rolled from the 4 inch
a slab, bloom, billet, or near-net-shape caster to produce
thick billets. The billets were rolled by conventional hot
a center solidi?cation rate of at least about 5 degrees F.
rolling with ?nal rolling temperatures above 1500 F.
per minute.
The cast steel is reheated if necessary in a reheat

furnace and then hot rolled using an acceptable hot

rolling practice, numeral 24. The hot rolling procedure

The following table summarizes the results of physi

cal testing of the six hot-rolled test steels. In the table,
the ?rst column is the thickness of the plate in inches,
the second column is the designation of the steel, the

may be conventional practice wherein the temperature

of the steel is not controlled. (The control-?nish tem 45 third column is yield strength in KS1, the fourth column
is ultimate tensile strength in KSI, the ?fth column is
perature (CFT) process, wherein the temperature of
percent elongation to failure in a 2 inch gage length, the
the steel is maintained such that it emerges from the
?nal pass at a preselected temperature, is within the
scope of hot rolling as that term is used herein). The

?nal rolling temperature is above the austenitic recrys

sixth column is reduction in area at failure, and the

seventh and eighth columns are the average Charpy
V-notch energy in foot-pounds at 20 F. and +40 F.,

tallization temperature. The steel is hot rolled to a re

respectively. (Charpy V-notch (CVN) energy values

quired section thickness. Thickness limitations to meet

have been normalized to full-size values; that is, for

example, half-size CVN energy values were doubled,
according to the standard approach.)
TABLE I

Plate

__Ami_._

Thck

Steel

YS

UTS

Elon

RA

-20F

Base
Ti
Ti-N
Ti.02V-N
Ti.04V-N
0.08V
Base
Ti
Ti-N
Ti-.02V-N
Ti.04V-N
0.08V

50.5
55.0
53.3
56.7
63.5
68.2
46.0
48.4
49.0
52.9
59.0
61.4

69.9
72.1
73.4
76.6
83.1
85.9
67.7
69.1
71.4
74.3
79.9
82.7

32.8
30.3
31.3
29.0
26.3
27.0
37.0
37.0
36.0
33.5
32.0
32.3

65.1
58.8
64.2
57.2
57.7
60.1
65.7
64.5
63.6
62.2
60.7
63.2

70.5
56.5
53.0
50.5
25.5
9.5
149.5
97.5
63.5
64.5
53.0
65.0

+40F
73.5
71.5
57.0
52.5
52.0
49.5
> 240.
154.0
141.5
122.0
97.0
96.5

5,326,527

TABLE I-continued
Plate

_._A"E_-__C_Y.N

Thck

Steel

YS

UTS

Elon

RA

Base
Ti
Ti-N
Ti.02V-N
Ti-.04v-N
now
Base
Ti
Ti--N
Ti.02V-N

42.9
46.2
46.8
50.6
55.7
58.1
39.6
43.8
44.6
48.1

66.6
68.2
70.2
73.2
79.6
34.3
66.4
64.4
70.3
73.1

34.0
33.0
33.0
31.5
29.5
28.5
35.8
33.5
33.3
32.0

69.1
66.8
65.1
64.3
61.9
63.2
69.8
67.1
65.5
65.7

Ti-.04VN
002v

55.3
56.5

80.1
83.3

29.3
28.5

62.2 v
64.6

20F

+40F

> 158.
63.5
75.5
57.5
56.5
48.5
130.0
34.0
30.0
17.5

>243.
138.5
114.0
108.0
80.5
83.5
>246.
121.0
1 l 1.5
35.5

28.5
47.5

76.5
82.0

These results, in pertinent part summarized in FIG. 2,

TABLE II-continued

demonstrate that to meet the 50 KS1 minimum yield

5M1

Thck'in

YS'KS;

UTSkS,

% 51mg

strength. of ASTM
A572,. Grade
50 in sections
up to at
.
.
.

A36

1.125

39.3

62.7

35.0

A36 + T,
A36
A36 + Ti

H25
2.0
Z-O

4L8
37.5
40-5

664
63.1
65-6

340
33.0
30-0

least 2 inches thickness, t1tamum, extra mtrogen, and at 20

least about 0.04 percent vanadium must be added to the
base steel. An addition of 0.02 percent vanadium and

extra nitrogen provides a minimum yield strength of 50

KS1 for section thicknesses up to about 1 inch, but not
In comparison with the A36 steel, the A36+Ti steel
in thicker sections. An addition of a total of 0.08 V 25 with 0.014 percent titanium provides an average in

produces a steel that substantially exceeds the standard.

crease in yield strength of 3.5 KS1, which is consistent
Because of the high cost of vanadium, such a steel that
with the results in Example I. For a given plate thick
substantially exceeds the standard is not within the
ness, the plates of this Example 11 produced in a large
scope of the invention.
size heat exhibit yield strengths of about 2 KS1 below
To meet the 42 KS1 minimum yield strength of 30 those produced in smaller heats, Example I. This differ
ASTM A529/A572, Grade 42 in sections up to 2 inches
ence is attributed to the lower manganese and nitrogen
in thickness, as summarized in FIG. 3 only a small addi
contents of the plates of Example 11. Suitable increases
tion of titanium is required to the base steel. To ensure
in manganese (e.g., to about 1.05 percent) and nitrogen
a minimum yield strength of 42 KSI in thicker sections
(e.g., to about 0.009 percent) should ensure that the

(especially if reheating temperatures in the range of 35 minimum yield strength requirement of 42 KS1 is met in
2300 F. to 2500 F. are to be utilized), an addition of

the thicker sections.

In summary, the steels of the invention provide an
advance in the art of structural steels. Steels that meet

nitrogen may be needed.

EXAMPLE II
existing speci?cations can be produced less expensively
To verify these results in relation to the ASTM A52 40 than existing steels that meet the speci?cations, by care
9/A572, Grade 42 steels, a 270 ton heat of steel was
fully adjusting the additions of further alloying elements
produced in a basic oxygen furnace with the following
to conventional steels. Although a particular embodi
composition in weight percent: 0.15 percent carbon,
ment of the invention has been described in detail for
0.89 percent manganese, 0.012 percent phosphorus,
purposes of illustration, various modi?cations may be

0.009 percent sulfur, 0.24 percent silicon, 0.01 percent

copper, 0.014 percent titanium, 0.041 percent alumi

made without departing from the spirit and scope of the

invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be lim
num, and 0.006 percent nitrogen, balance iron and inci
ited except as by the appended claims.
dental impurities. This steel, termed A36+Ti, was
What is claimed is:
continuously cast to 10 inch thick slabs, reheated to
1. A fully killed steel consisting essentially of, in
about 2350 F., and hot-rolled to various plate thick 50 weight percent, from about 0.15 to about 0.27 percent
nesses. Typical mechanical properties from these plates
carbon, from about 0.5 to about 1.5 percent manganese,
are compared to those of similar companion plates
less than about 0.04 percent phosphorus, less than about
which did not have the titanium addition and which are
0.05 percent sulfur, from about 0.1 to about 0.4 percent
termed A36. In the following Table II, the ?rst col
silicon, from about 0.005 to about 0.020 percent tita
umn is the grade of steel, the second column is the 55 nium, from about 0.004 to about 0.015 percent nitrogen,
thickness of the plate tested, the third column is the
with the mole ratio of titanium to nitrogen being less
yield strength in KSI, the fourth column is the ultimate
than about 3.42, from about 0.02 to about 0.04 percent
tensile strength in KS1, and the ?fth column is the per
vanadium, and the remainder iron plus incidental impu
cent elongation. The gate length for the percent elonga
rities.
tion was 8 inches for plate thicknesses of 0.5 and 0.75
2. The steel of claim 1, wherein the composition of
inches, and 2 inches for plates of 1.125 and 2 inches
the steel comprises about 0.17 percent carbon, about
thickness.
1.05 percent manganese, about 0.015 percent phospho
rus,
about 0.011 percent sulfur, about 0.22 percent sili
TABLE 11
con, about 0.012 percent titanium, and about 0.009 per
Steel

A36
A36 + T1
A36
A36 + Ti

ThCk, in
0.5
0.5
0.75
0.75

YS,KS1

UTS,ksi

% Elong

41.2
45.3
40.6
44.8

64.7
67.6
63.7
66.4

30.0
30.0
28.0
28.0

45

65 cent nitrogen.

3. The steel of claim 1, wherein the composition 0

the steel comprises about 0.17 percent carbon, about
1.05 percent manganese, about 0.015 percent phospho

5,326,527

10

5. The steel of claim 4, wherein the steel contains

from about 0.012 to about 0.015 percent phosphorus,
from about 0.009 to about 0.011 percent sulfur, from
about 0.22 to about 0.24 percent silicon, from about
0.014 to about 0.015 percent titanium.

ms, about 0.011 percent sulfur, about 0.22 percent sili

con, about 0.012 percent titanium, about 0.011 percent
nitrogen, and from about 0.02 to about 0.04 percent
vanadium.

4. A fully killed steel consisting essentially of, in

6. A fully killed steel consisting essentially of, in

weight percent, from about 0.15 to about 0.17 percent

carbon, from about 0.50 to about 1.50 percent manga
nese, less than about 0.04 percent phosphorus, less than
about 0.05 percent sulfur, from about 0.1 to about 0.4
percent silicon, from about 0.005 to about 0.020 percent
titanium, from about 0.004 to about 0.015 percent nitro
gen, with the mole ratio of titanium to nitrogen being
less than about 3.42, and the remainder iron plus inci

weight percent, from about 0.15 to about 0.17 percent

carbon, from about 0.50 to about 1.50 percent manga
nese, less than about 0.04 percent phosphorus, less than
about 0.05 percent sulfur, from about 0.1 to about 0.4
percent silicon, from about 0.014 to about 0.015 percent
titanium, from about 0.012 to about 0.015 percent nitro
gen, with the mole ratio of titanium to nitrogen being
less than about 3.42, and the remainder iron plus inci

dental impurities.

dental impurities.

20

25

30

35

45

50

55

65

'