Abstract
Abstract The role of Ti-Al-O inclusions on nucleation of intragranular acicular ferrite (IAF) was investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). From SEM-EDS mapping images, two kinds of titanium containing oxides are observed. Type I is a Ti-Al-O phase, in which the elements of Al and Ti coexist. Type II is the titanium containing oxide, which precipitates on Al2O3. By statistical analysis, it can be seen that Type I is dominating in number, and its molar ratio of Ti/Al varied in a wide range, which reflects its composition complexity. After etching, microstructure of IAF is observed. It can be seen that sulfur accumulates on the periphery of nucleation Ti-Al-O inclusion, which is attributed to the precipitation of MnS. Moreover, this accumulation accompanies increasing in content ratio of Al/Ti, which could be explained by titanium vacancies. These vacancies can absorb Mn ions from the steel matrix around inclusions, which leads to a Mn depletion zone (MDZ). Its existence is confirmed by EDS line scanning, and considered to facilitate the formation of IAF since Mn is an austenite stabilizer.
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