Specification
DESCRIPTION
TITLE OF THE INVENTION
High-Strength Hot-Dip Galvanized Steel Sheet and
5 Process for Producing the Same
TECHNICAL FIELD
[00011
The present invention relates to a high-strength
10 (for example, a tensile strength of 980 MPa or more) hotdip
galvanized steel sheet with excellent bendability,
which is used for an automotive structural material and
the like, and a process for producing the same.
15 BACKGROUND ART
[00021
For the purpose of enhancing the fuel efficiency of
an automobile and achieving collision safety, application
of a high tensile strength steel sheet to a vehicle body
20 frame structure is proceeding, but on the other hand, the
increase in the strength of a material involves a
decrease in formability of the material, and therefore,
the steel sheet used may be required to satisfy both high
press workability and high strength.
25 In a high-strength steel sheet, a retained (or
residual) austenite steel having retained austenite in
the steel structure may be known to, despite high
strength, exhibit very high elongation by making use of a
TRIP effect, In order to more increase the elongation of
30 this retained austenite steel, for example, Patent
Document 1 discloses a technique of ensuring uniform
elongation by controlling two kinds of ferrite (bainitic
ferrite and polygonal ferrite) while keeping the retained
austenite fraction high.
35 Meanwhile, in forming a high-strength steel sheet
having a tensile strength of 980 MPa or more, the work
may be often performed mainly by bend forming but not
draw forming that has prevailed in forming a low-strength
steel sheet having a tensile strength of 440 MPa or less.
Similarly to elongation, enhanced bendability may be
required of also a high-strength sheet steel.
5 [0003]
Conventionally, it has been known that V-bendability
correlates with local ductility, and as a technique for
enhancing the local ductility, Patent Document 1
discloses a technique of making the structure uniform and
10 increasing the strength by adding a precipitation
strengthening component to a ferrite single phase, and
Patent Document 2 discloses a technique of similarly
making the structure uniform by a structure mainly
composed of bainite.
15 Also, Patent Document 3 discloses a high-strength
high-ductility hot-dip galvanized steel sheet containing,
in terms of volume fraction, from 30 to 90% of a ferrite
phase, 5% or more of bainite, 10% or less of martensite,
and from 5 to 30% of a retained austenite phase. Patent
20 Document 4 discloses a high-strength cold-rolled steel
sheet, where the density of dislocations contained in the
steel sheet is 8x10'' (dislocations/rnm2) or less, and the
static/dynamic ratio (=FS2/FS1) as a ratio between a
quasi-static strength (FS1) at a strain rate of 0.0067 (s-
25 I ) , and a dynamic strength (FS2) at a strain rate of 1,000
(s-') is 1.05 or more.
However, at present, higher strength and higher
workability are required of also in the case of a highstrength
steel sheet, and a technique capable of
3 0 satisfying this requirement and also of satisfying both
of the elongation and V-bendability at a sufficiently
high level is not known.
RELATED ART
35 PATENT DOCUMENTS
[0004]
[Patent Document 11 JP-A (Japanese Unexamined Patent
Publication; KOKAI) No. 2003-306746
[Patent Document 21 JP-A No. 4-88125
[Patent Document 31 JP-A No. 2005-133201
[Patent Document 41 JP-A No. 2002-30403
5
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION
[0005]
The present invention has been made to solve
10 conventional problems, and an object of the present
invention is to provide a high-strength hot-dip
galvanized steel sheet excellent in elongation and Vbendability,
which is a technique found from many
diligent studies to enhance the V-bendability of a
15 retained austenite steel having a tensile strength of 980
MPa or more, and a production process therefor.
MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEM
[0006]
2 0 As a result of earnest study, the present inventors
have found that increasing the stability of retained
austenite more than ever by imparting a residual
compression stress to the retained austenite phase may
effectively act on the local bending deformation of the
25 tensile stress part outside bending and the compression
stress part inside bending.
[0007]
As a result of further study based on the above
discovery, the present inventors have further made
30 studies based on the finding above, as a result, it has
been found that when the roll diameter, tension and
number of passes in repeated bending during an over-aging
(OA) treatment are optimally controlled so as to impart a
residual compression stress to the retained austenite
3 5 phase, a sufficiently high effect may be obtained on
elongation and V-bendability. The present inventors have
still further made studies based on the finding above, as
a result, it has been found that when control of
conditions in repeated bending during an over-aging (OA)
treatment is conformed to control of the enrichment into
austenite phase and the grain size, the stability of
5 retained austenite phase can be increased and this may be
more effective for elongation and V-bendability.
[0008]
According to the knowledge and investigations of the
present inventors, the mechanism for providing the above-
10 described effect in the present invention may be presumed
as follows.
Thus, the retained austenite steel may be a highstrength
steel sheet obtained by controlling ferrite
transformation and bainite transformation during
15 annealing to increase the C concentration in austenite
and thereby retain austenite in the steel structure of a
product, and thanks to TRIP effect of the retained
austenite, capable of exhibiting high elongation.
However, because of a mixed structure, such a retained
2 0 austenite steel may be presumed not to be a steel
excellent in bendability.
Meanwhile, the present inventors have made various
studies on the method for obtaining desired tensile
strength, ductility, V-bendability and plating property
25 by performing, in a laboratory, melting, hot rolling,
cold rolling, annealing and hot-dip galvanization of
various steels changed in the amounts of C, Si and Mn
with an attempt to achieve an effective action of TRIP
effect on bendability.
30 As a result of these earnest study, it has been
found that when not only various components effective for
the above-described purpose are specified but also a
residual compression stress is imparted to the retained
austenite phase, the stability of retained austenite may
35 be increased more than ever and at the same time, an
effective action may be exerted on the local bending
deformation of the tensile stress part outside bending
and the compression stress part inside bending.
[00091
The present inventors have accomplished the present
invention, based on the above discoveries. The present
5 invention may include, for example, the following
embodiments.
[OOlOl
[I] A hot-dip galvanized steel sheet, which is a
steel sheet comprising, in mass%,
10 C: from 0.10 to 0.4%,
Si: from 0.01 to 0.5%,
Mn: from 1.0 to 3.0%,
0: 0.006% or less,
P: 0.04% or less,
S: 0.01% or less,
Al: from 0.1 to 3.0%,
N: 0.01% or less, and
Si+A1>0.5%, with the balance being Fe and
unavoidable impurities,
20 wherein the steel sheet is a high-strength hot-dip
galvanized steel sheet comprising, as the main phase, in
terms of volume fraction, 40% or more of ferrite and from
8 to 60% of retained austenite, and the balance structure
is composed of any one member or trio or more members of
25 bainite, martensite and pearlite,
wherein out of the austenite, an austenite grain
having an average residual stress OR satisfying formula
(1) accounts for 50% or more:
-400 MPa I OR I200 MPa (1)
3 0 and
wherein the steel sheet has, on the surface thereof,
a hot-dip galvanized layer comprising Fe in an amount of
less than 7 mass%, with the balance being Zn, A1 and
unavoidable impurities.
35 [00111
[2] The hot-dip galvanized steel sheet according to
[I], wherein the average particle size of the austenite
is 10 pm or less, the average C concentration in the
austenite is 0.7% or more to 1.5% or less in terms of
mass %.
5 [00121
[3] The hot-dip galvanized steel sheet according to
[I] or [2], wherein the average aspect ratio with respect
to the rolling direction of the austenite grain is from
0.5 to 0.95.
10 [0013]
[4] The hot-dip galvanized steel sheet according to
[I] or [2], wherein the steel sheet further comprises one
member or two or more members of, in mass%,
Mo: from 0.02 to 0.5,
Nb: from 0.01 to 0.10%,
Ti: from 0.01 to 0.20%,
V: from 0.005 to 0.10%,
Cr: from 0.1 to 2.0%,
Ca: from 0.0005 to 0.05%,
Mg: from 0.0005 to 0.05%,
REM: from 0.0005 to 0.05%,
Cu: from 0.04 to 2.0%,
Ni: from 0.02 to l.O%,
B: from 0.0003 to 0.007%.
25 [0014]
151 A process for producing a hot-dip galvanized
steel sheet, comprising subjecting a steel material
comprising, in mass%,
C: from 0.10 to 0.4%,
Si: from 0.01 to 0.5%,
Mn: from 1.0 to 3.0%,
0: 0.006% or less,
P: 0.04% or less,
S: 0.01% or less,
Al: from 0.1 to 3.0%,
N: 0.01% or less, and
Si+Al>O.5%, with the balance being Fe and
unavoidable impurities, to a hot rolling treatment at a
hot-rolled slab temperature of 1,10O0C or more and a
finishing temperature of 850 to 97OoC,
cooling the steel sheet after the hot rolling to a
5 temperature region of 65OoC or less at 10 to 200°C/sec on
average, and taking it up in a temperature range of 650°C
or less,
cold-rolling the steel sheet at a rolling reduction
ratio of 40% or more,
10 annealing the steel sheet by setting the maximum
temperature during annealing to be from 700 to 900°C,
cooling the steel sheet to a temperature region of 350 to
550°C at an average cooling rate of 0 . 1 to 200°C/sec, and
then holding it in the temperature region for 1 to 1,000
1 5 seconds, and
immersing the steel sheet after holding in the
temperature region in a hot-dip galvanizing bath and
after the plating treatment, applying an alloying
treatment at a temperature of 470 to 580°C,
20 wherein at the time of holding the steel sheet in a
temperature region of 350 to 550°C, the steel sheet is
repeatedly bent using a roll having a roll diameter of 50
to 2,000 mm to thereby impart a strain to the steel
sheet, and
25 the longitudinal average stress applied to the steel
sheet during the repeated bending is from 2 to 50 MPa.
[61 The process for producing a hot-dip galvanized
steel sheet according to 151, wherein the number of
passes during the repeated bending is from 2 to 6.
30
EFFECT OF THE INVENTION
[0015]
The present invention can provide a hot-dip
galvanized steel sheet having a high strength and being
35 excellent in the ductility and V-bendability. The
production of the hot-dip galvanized steel sheet
according to the present invention may be relatively easy
and can be performed stably. Therefore, the hot-dip
galvanized steel sheet may be optimally usable
particularly as a steel sheet for automobiles in recent
5 years, which is intended for attaining weight reduction.
As a result, the industrial value thereof may be
remarkably high.
[00161
10 [Fig. 11 Fig. 1 is a graph showing a relationship
between the residual stress in retained austenite phase
and the minimum bend radius R.
[Fig. 21 Fig. 2 is a graph showing the range where
the average residual stress OR of an austenite grain
15 satisfies formula (1).
[Fig. 31 Fig. 3 is a graph showing a relationship
between the percentage of austenite grain satisfying
formula (1) and the minimum bend radius R.
[Fig. 41 Fig. 4 is a graph showing a relationship
20 between the average grain size of retained austenite and
the minimum bend radius R.
[Fig. 51 Fig. 5 is a graph showing a relationship
between the aspect ratio of retained austenite grain and
the minimum bend radius R.
25 [Fig. 61 Fig. 6 is a graph showing a relationship
between the C concentration and the minimum bend radius
R.
MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
30 [00171
The high-strength thin steel sheet of the present
invention may be the result of attention focused on
increasing the stability of retained austenite phase in a
retained austenite steel. The present invention has been
35 achieved, as described above, based on finding that by
controlling the residual stress and aspect ratio of the
retained austenite phase, the stability can be increased
to an extreme and all of strength, elongation and Vbendability
can be satisfied at a high level.
[0018]
The structure in the hot-dip galvanized steel sheet
5 of the present invention must be mainly composed of a
ferrite phase and a bainite phase and contain 3% or more
of a retained austenite phase. In the case of intending
to achieve a higher strength, the structure may contain
martensite, but if the structure is not mainly composed
10 of a ferrite phase and a bainite phase, elongation may be
likely to significantly decrease.
[00191
The residual stress in the retained austenite phase
may be one of most important factors in the present
15 invention. As shown in Fig. 1, when the residual stress
in the retained austenite phase is lower, particularly,
is 15 MPa or less, the minimum bend radius R may become
smallest. A residual compression stress may be imparted
to individual retained austenite grains in the production
20 process, whereby martensite transformation during work
may be retarded, as a result, the stability of the whole
phase may be increased.
In order to achieve this effect, as shown in Fig. 2,
Xr may become minimum in the range where the average
25 residual stress OR of the austenite grain satisfies
formula (1). Also, as shown in Fig. 3, when the
austenite grain satisfying formula (1) accounts for 50%
or more, the minimum bend radius R may stably become
smallest.
30 -400 MPaO.5%, with the balance being Fe and
unavoidable impurities,
15 wherein the steel sheet is a high-strength hot-dip
galvanized steel sheet comprising, as the main phase, in
terms of volume fraction, 40% or more of ferrite and from
8 to 60% of retained austenite, and the balance structure
is composed of any one member or two or more members of
20 bainite, martensite and pearlite,
wherein out of the austenite, an austenite grain
having an average residual stress OR satisfying formula
(1) accounts for 50% or more:
-400 MPa < OR I200 MPa (1
25 and
wherein the steel sheet has, on the surface thereof,
a hot-dip galvanized layer comprising Fe in an amount of
less than 7 mass%, with the balance being Zn, A1 and
unavoidable impurities.
30 [Claim 21
The hot-dip galvanized steel sheet according to
claim 1, wherein the average particle size of the
austenite is 10 pm or less, the average C concentration
in the austenite is 0.7% or more to 1.5% or less in terms
3 5 of mass %.
[Claim 31
The hot-dip galvanized steel sheet according to
claim 1 or 2, wherein the average aspect ratio with
respect to the rolling direction of the austenite grain
is from 0.5 to 0.95.
5 [Claim 41
The hot-dip galvanized steel sheet according to
claim 1 or 2, wherein the steel sheet further comprises
one member or two or more members of, in mass%,
Mo: from 0.02 to 0.5,
Nb: from 0.01 to 0.10%,
Ti: from 0.01 to 0.20%,
V: from 0.005 to 0.10%,
Cr: from 0.1 to 2.0%,
Ca: from 0.0005 to 0.05%,
Mg: from 0.0005 to 0.05%,
REM: from 0.0005 to 0.05%,
Cu: from 0.04 to 2.0%,
Ni: from 0.02 to 1.0%,
B: from 0.0003 to 0.007%.
2 0 [Claim 51
A process for producing a hot-dip galvanized steel
sheet, comprising subjecting a steel material comprising,
in mass%,
C: from 0.10 to 0.4%,
Si: from 0.01 to 0.5%,
Mn: from 1.0 to 3.0%,
0: 0.006% or less,
P: 0.04% or less,
S: 0.01% or less,
Al: from 0.1 to 3.0%,
N: 0.01% or less, and
Si+A120.5%, with the balance being Fe and
unavoidable impurities, to a hot rolling treatment at a
hot-rolled slab temperature of 1,10O0C or more and a
35 finishing temperature of 850 to 970°C,
cooling the steel sheet after the hot rolling to a
temperature regioh of 650°C or less at 10 to 200°C/sec on
average, and taking it up in a temperature range of 650°C
or less,
cold-rolling the steel sheet at a rolling reduction
5 ratio of 40% or more,
annealing the steel sheet by setting the maximum
temperature during annealing to be from 700 to 900°C,
cooling the steel sheet to a temperature region of 350 to
550°C at an average cooling rate of 0.1 to 200°C/sec, and
10 then holding it in the temperature region for 1 to 1,000
seconds, and
immersing the steel sheet after holding in the
temperature region in a hot-dip galvanizing bath and
after the plating treatment, applying an alloying
15 treatment at a temperature of 470 to 580°C,
wherein at the time of holding the steel sheet in a
temperature region of 350 to 550°C, the steel sheet is
repeatedly bent using a roll having a roll diameter of 50
to 2,000 mrn to thereby impart a strain to the steel
2 0 sheet, and
the longitudinal average stress applied to the steel
sheet during the repeated bending is from 2 to 50 MPa.
~.~..
[Claim 61
The process for producing a hot-dip galvanized steel
25 sheet according to claim 5, wherein the number of passes
during the repeated bending is from 2 to 6,~- ~-