In-situ observation of grain refinement in the simulated heat-affected zone of high-strength low-alloy steel by Zr-Ti combined deoxidation

The effect of Zr-Ti combined deoxidation on the grain refinement in the simulated coarse-grained heat-affected zone of a high-strength low-alloy steel was investigated by means of analytical characterization techniques such as in-situ microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and electron backscattered diffraction analysis. Owing to the Zr-Ti combined deoxidation, a large amount of fine Zr-Ti oxide particles were formed in the steel and retarded the austenite grain growth during simulated welding thermal cycle. The austenite grains were small and uniform. The Mn can diffuse spontaneously from austenite to Zr-Ti oxide inclusion and MnS precipitated on ZrO₂, which can form Mn depleted zone in the vicinity of inclusion. The acicular ferrite grains nucleated on intragranular Zr-Ti oxide inclusions in austenite grains grew in different directions and effectively divided the austenite grain into several finer and separate regions at intermediate temperature. The crystallographic grain size became small in the simulated coarse-grained heat-affected zone of Zr-Ti-killed steel due to the effective pinning effect by Zr-Ti oxide particles and acicular ferrite formation.