MICROSTRUCTURE AND MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES OF STRIP CAST 1008-STEEL AFTER SIMULATED COILING, COLD-ROLLING AND BATCH ANNEALING

As-cast low carbon steel strips produced by twin roll strip casting pr ocess were treated by cold rolling and batch annealing. The microstruc ture and mechanical properties were compared to those of drawing and c ommercial quality strips. The mechanical properties of the as-cast str ip are inferior to those of an industrial hot band due to the presence of Widmannstatten ferrite microstructure. After simulated coiling, co ld rolling and batch annealing the ductility of the strip cast steel i s lower than that of the industrial products, due to the hardening eff ect of small Cu-S precipitates and coarser iron carbides. However, for the strip cast steel processed according to a drawing quality (DQ) ro ute, the mechanical properties are within the range of a commercial qu ality (CO) product. Therefore, mechanical properties falling within th e range of commercial quality steel can be obtained with strip cast st eel without a hot rolling step if appropriate cold rolling and anneali ng treatment is used.