Influence of chemistry on transverse cracking during continuous casting of medium C high N steel billets

Corner cracking in medium C electric arc steel was experienced after continuous casting of square billets. This led to the investigation of the influence of high N levels on hot ductility. Steels microalloyed with V, Ti and B were subjected to in situ melting followed by cooling according to typical off-corner temperature profiles. Steels containing moderate amounts of V resulted in good ductility at the estimated off-corner temperature during unbending of 900°C due to the suppression of precipitation. Ti additions to V, Al, Si and B containing steels, although beneficial at low N levels, are detrimental to hot ductility when the N content is high due to a higher precipitate volume fraction. High Ti–B steels produced the worst hot ductility in medium C steels containing high N.