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JOURNAL OF IRON AND STEEL RESEARCH, INTERNATIONAL. 2008, 15(1) : 70-74

Non-Metallic Inclusion Distribution in Surface Layer of IF Steel Slabs

ZHANG Qiao-ying’ , WANG Li-tao’ , WANG Xin-hua’ , LI Hong’ , WANG Wan-jun’
(1. School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing ,
Beijing 100083, China$ 2. Shougang Iron and Steel Corporation Ltd, Beijing 100041, China)

Abstract: Non-metallic inclusion distribution in the surface layer of IF steel slabs during unsteady casting was investi-
gated using the original position statistic distribution analysis (OPA) method. It was found that most non-metallic
inclusions larger than 10 pm existed in the subsurface layers of 0. 5 - 3. 5 mm from the slab surfaces and very few
large non-metallic inclusions were found in the inner regions ( 2 4 . 5 mm from slab surfaces). In addition, it was
found that at high casting speed level (1.4 m/min), even a slight change of casting speed could result in a remarkable
increase of the non-metallic inclusions. Thus, at high casting speed, changing the casting speed should be avoided or
considerably lower speed changing rate must be used.
Key words: IF steel: transient casting; slab surface layer: non-metallic inclusion

The interstitial-free steel (IF steel) is widely
used in automotives. Since the sheets, especially for
exposed panels require good surface quality, the
control of the non-metallic inclusions, especially
large sized inclusions in I F steels is very strict. In
recent years, the surface defects of I F steel sheets
caused by steelmaking, and secondary refining, etc.
have been significantly decreased owing to the pro-
gress and improvement of the steelmaking and refi-
ning technologies and equipment. However, the ra-
tio of the defects owing to the mold powder entrap-
ment during continuous casting has increased”-’].
Mold powder entrapment mainly occurs in the
so-called “transient casting” periods, e. g. the time
of casting start, casting end, ladle exchange, mold
width change, SEN change, etc. During the un-
steady casting periods, usually, the casting speed V,
is largely varied, which disturbs the flow of the liq-
uid steel in the mold and results in severe level fluc-
tuation. Hence, mold powders are easy to be carried
into the liquid steel and some are entrapped by the
solidified shell and exist as non-metallic inclusions in
slabs.
Casting speed variation must be avoided during
casting. However, in practical casting production,
casting speed change is still inevitable. In most
steelmaking plants, the methods of “down grade” or
“defect slab” are adopted, i. e. the slabs that are
cast during the casting speed change period are used
for producing lower grade products or even consid-
ered as scraped slabs. When this method is simply
used, some good slabs may be “down grade” or
scraped and some defect slabs may escape as good
slabs. T o improve the quality control of I F steel in
Baosteel , investigation on the non-metallic inclu-
sions distribution in the surface layers of I F steel
slabs was carried out.
1 Experimental Method
The experiments were carried out at the No. 2 BOF
shop of Baosteel. After the desulphurization pretreat-
ment, the hot metal was blown in a 250 t top and bot-
tom combined blowing furnace and the liquid steel
after BOF steelmaking was further refined in an R H
degasser. There are two slab casters in the No. 2
BOF shop and their main specifications are shown in
Table 1. In the experiments, slabs of 1 150 mm
width and 230 mm thickness were produced.
Normal, increasing or decreasing the casting
speed were intentionally arranged in the experiments
to investigate the influence of the V, change on the
non-metallic inclusions distribution in the surface layer

Biography:ZHANG Qiao-ying(l976-), Female, Doctor Candidate! E-mail: dyn19781223@163. comi Revised Date: April 14, 2006
Issue 1 Non-Metallic Inclusion Distribution in Surface Layer of IF Steel Slabs
Table 1 Main specifications of slab casters
Machine type Vertical bend
Vertical length 2. 75 m
Tundish capacity 60 t
Slab thickness 230 mm, 250 mm
Mold length 900 mm
Normal casting speed 1.0- 1. 6 m/rnin
Submerged nozzle Immersion depth: 170 mm
Outlet anEle: 15’
of I F steel slabs. In the experiments of normal cast-
ing speed, after casting, specimens were also taken
on the slabs, which were normally cast at 0. 6 m/min,
0.8 m/min, 1.0 m/min, 1.2 m/min, and 1 . 4 m/min.
In the experiments of decreasing casting speed, after
V, was maintained at 1. 4m/min for more than 30
min, the casting speed was decreased evenly at the
speed decreasing rate of 0. 15 m/min2. After cast-
ing, the specimens were taken from the slabs, which
were j u s t in the mold during casting when the cast-
ing speed was decreased t o 1 . 2 m/min, 1 . 0 m/min,
0. 8 m/min, and 0. 6 m/min, respectively. In the
experiments of increasing casting speed, after V,
was maintained at 0. 6 m/min for more than 30 min,
the casting speed was evenly increased a t the rate of
0. 15 m/min2. After casting, specimens were taken
from the slabs, which were j u s t in the mold when
the casting speed was increased t o 0. 8 m/min, 1. 0
m/min, 1. 2 m/min, and 1.4 m/min, respectively.
Three specimens (of length 200 mm, width 100 mm,
thickness 25 mm) were respectively cut on the top
surfaces at 1/8 width, 1 / 2 width, and on the narrow
faces of the slabs ( a s shown in Fig. 1). For each
specimen, 0. 5 mm surface layer was first machined
away. T h e specimen was scanned to obtain the con-
tent of the non-metallic inclusions on the detected
surface using the original position statistic distribu-
tion analysis (OPA) method, which was developed by
Beijing NAKE Analysis Instrument Co. The scanning
area on each specimen by OPA was 60 mmX40 mm.
Casting
Center
Ccnfcr
l i C
Fig. 1 Specimen machining scheme
71
Subsequently, each specimen was further machined
totally 5 times and 1 mm of surface layer was ma-
chined away at each time. After each machining, the
specimen was analyzed by OPA.
OPA is a method based on the techniques of
continuous excitation of spark spectrum with two-di-
mensional moving on specimens, high speed signal ac-
quisition of single spark discharge and the data analysis
~ y s t e m [ ~ - ~ It
’ . can move and scan on large sized
specimens and obtain signals reflecting both the con-
centrations and locations of the non-metallic inclu-
sions on the scanned areas. T h e scanning speed of
OPA used in the investigation was 1 mm/s and the
interlineation between each scanning was 2 mm.
T h e diameter of each spark spot was 1 pm and the
excitation depth was 9-20 pm.
When the non-metallic inclusions on the speci-
men surfaces were detected by O P A , the intensities
of the spectrums, which reflect the existence of the
non-metallic inclusions, were abnormally increased.
T h e net intensities of the spectrums of the abnormal
spark signals were correlative to the sizes of the non-
metallic inclusion particles, and the relative occur-
rence frequencies of the abnormal spark signals were
correlative to the contents of the non-metallic inclu-
sionsC8’. By analyzing the data of the net spectrum
intensities and the relative occurrence frequencies of
the abnormal spark signals, the contents and sizes of
the non-metallic inclusions on the scanned surfaces
can be obtained [Eqn. (1) and Eqn. (Z)].
C=C,F+K (1)
D = ( t z / t l )Z+D, (2)
where, C is the content of the non-metallic inclu-
sions; C, is a constant; F is the relative occurrence
frequency of the abnormal spark signals; K is a con-
stant; D is the size of the non-metallic particle; t z
and t , are coefficients; Z is the net intensity of the
spectrum of the abnormal spark signal, and Dois the
critical value of the size of the particle, which is
taken as the non-metallic inclusion by OPA.
2 Experimental Results
Fig. 2 shows the number of non-metallic inclusions
in the subsurface (0.5 - 5. 5 mm from surfaces) speci-
mens of slabs analyzed by the OPA method: Fig. 2 ( a >
shows the number of non-metallic inclusions be-
tween 10 pm and 20 pm and Fig. 2 ( b ) shows the
number of non-metallic inclusions larger than 20 pm.
The slabs were normally cast respectively at 0.6 m/min,
0.8 m/min, 1.0 m/min, 1 . 2 m/min, and 1.4 m/min
 - 72 Journal of Iron and Steel Research, International Vol. 15

v3- 1-2 mm
32

24

16

0.6 1.0 1.4 0.6 1.0 1.4

Casting speed/(mmin-')

(a) Inclusions between 10-20 pm; ( b ) Inclusions larger than 20 pm

Fig. 2 Number of non-metallic inclusions in slab subsurface specimens analyzed by OPA (normal casting speed)

without changing V,. specimens, which were 0. 5 mm, 1. 5 mm, 2. 5 mm,

In Fig. 2 , it was found that most of the non-me-
tallic inclusions larger than 10 pm existed in 0. 5 -
3. 5 mm surface layers of slabs and very few non-me-
tallic inclusions were detected by OPA in specimens
that were more than 4. 5 mm depth from the slab
surfaces.
As seen in Fig. 2 , the non-metallic inclusions
detected by OPA were more in slabs that were cast
at low casting speeds ( 0 . 6 m/min-0. 8 m/min). It
is also seen in Fig. 2 that when the casting speed was
increased to 1 . 4 m/min, non-metallic inclusions in
the slab surface layers tended to increase. In this ex-
periment, slabs cast at 1. 0 m/min and 1 . 2 m/min
V, contained the minimum amount of non-metallic
inclusions.
Fig. 3 shows the number of non-metallic inclu-
sions in the surface layer specimens of slabs that
were cast in the experiment of decreasing casting
speed. The number of non-metallic inclusions at each
V, is the average result of OPA on the surface layer
and 3. 5 mm from the slab surface. Also, the casting
speed change is illustrated in the figure; Fig. 3 ( a >
shows the number of non-metallic inclusions be-
tween 10 pm and 20 p m , and Fig. 3 ( b > shows the
number of non-metallic inclusions larger than 20 pm.
In Fig. 3 , it was found that most of the non-me-
tallic inclusions larger than 10 pm existed in 0. 5 -
3. 5 mm surface layers of slabs and very few non-me-
tallic inclusions were detected by OPA in specimens
that were more than 4. 5 mm depth from the slab
surfaces.
It is seen in Fig. 3 that in the later casting speed
decreasing period when V, was evenly decreased fur-
ther to 0. 8 m/min, the number of non-metallic in-
clusions was the fewest. When the casting speed
changing was stopped after the V, was decreased to
0. 6 m/min, a very slight increase of the non-metal-
lic inclusions was found.
Fig. 4 shows the number of non-metallic inclu-
sions in the surface layer specimens of slabs that were

)' A\2-3 mm
3-4 mm
\
24
* \ o-:mm 1-2 m m

0-1 m m
=/,. 12 3-4mm \ /
4-5 mm 6-6 mm
0-03=8L~
0-0
0
1.2 1.0 0.8 0.6 1.2 1.0 0.8 0.6
Casling speed/(mmin-')

(a) Inclusions between 10-20 pmi (b) Inclusions larger than 20 pm

Fig. 3 Number of non-metallic inclusions in slab subsurface specimens analyzed by OPA (decreasing casting speed)
Issue 1 Non-Metallic Inclusion Distribution in Surface Layer of IF Steel Slabs ' 73

0.8 1 .0 1.2 1.4 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4

Casting speed(m.rnin-')

( a ) Inclusions between 10-20 pm; ( b ) Inclusions larger than 20 pm

Fig. 4 Number of non-metallic inclusions in slab subsurface specimens analyzed by OPA (increasing casting speed)

cast in the experiment of increasing casting speed.
T h e number of non-metallic inclusions at each V, is
the average result of O P A on the surface layer speci-
mens, which were 0. 5 m m , 1. 5 m m , 2. 5 mm, and
3. 5 mm from the slab surface. Also, the casting
speed change is illustrated in the figure; Fig. 4 ( a >
shows the number of non-metallic inclusions be-
tween 10 pm and 20 p m , and Fig. 4 ( b ) shows the
number of non-metallic inclusions larger than 20 pm.
In Fig. 4 , it was found that most of the non-metal-
lic inclusions larger than 10 pm existed in 0. 5-3. 5 mm
surface layers of slabs and very few non-metallic inclu-
sions were detected by OPA in specimens that were more
than 4.5 mm depth from the slab surfaces.
It is seen in Fig. 4 t h a t w h e n increasing cast-
ing speed w a s ended and t h e V, w a s increased to
1. 4 m/min, the number of non-metallic inclusions
was more than others when V, was increased from
0.6 m/min to 0.8 m/min, 0.6 m/min to 1.0 m/min,
0. 6 m/min to 1. 2 m/min.
Fig. 5 shows several large sized non-metallic in-
clusions found in subsurface specimens by SEM;
their chemical compositions analyzed by EDS are
shown in Table 2. T h e distances from slab surface
in Fig. 5 ( e > and ( f ) are 1. 5 mm and 1. 78 m m , re-
spectively. These large non-metallic inclusions all
contain N a z O , which indicates that these were en-
trapped mold powders or the reaction products be-
tween the involved mold powders and the non-metal-
lic inclusions, such as Alz03 in liquid steels.
T h e thickness of the solidified shell in the mold
can be calculated by the following equation:
d= K ( L / V ,)"' (3)
where d is thickness of the solidified shell, mm; K
is solidification coefficient, mm/min"2 ; and L is dis-
tance from the liquid steel level in the mold, mm.

Fig. 5 Photographs of typical large sized non-metallic inclusions in subsurface specimens

 74 ’ Journal of Iron and Steel Research, International Vol. 15

Table 2 Non-metallic inclusions and their chemical compositions of Fig. 5 by SEM-EDG

No. Al Ca Si K Mg Na Mn S Fe Distance from surfaces
a 4. 42 37.03 18. 75 0. 97 1.08 17. 99 1.50 18.24 0 3-4 mm
b 68. 14 0 0. 30 9. 49 0. 26 5. 44 6. 89 9. 49 0 3-4 mrn
C 0 14.02 0 32.81 10.81 40. 12 0 2. 24 0 2-3 mm
d 22.79 5. 69 31.70 13.28 0 20.54 0 6. 00 0 1-2 rnm
e 11.08 5. 54 12.93 0.71 13.02 9. 34 4. 47 0 42.95 1.5 mm
f 2.35 32.06 23.61 0 2. 26 9. 68 3. 71 0 26.33 1.7 mm

In the experiment, the casting speed was within
the range of 0. 6 m/min to 1. 4 m/min, and most of
the large sized non-metallic inclusions caused by the
entrapment of the mold powders were found in the
subsurface regions between 0-4 mm below the slab
surfaces. T h e solidification coefficient K is usually
between 18 rnm/min’/’ and 24 mm/min’’2 for slab
caster. Assuming K = 20 rnm/min’/’ , using Eqn. ( 3 ) ,
the maximum depth of the mold powder entrapment
calculated is 26-54 mm below the level of the liquid
steel in the mold.
3 Conclusions
( 1)
Most non-metallic inclusions larger than
10 pm existed in the subsurface layers of 0. 5 - 3. 5
mm from the slab surfaces and very few large non-
metallic inclusions were found in the inner regions
(>4. 5 mm from the slab surfaces).
(2) A t high casting speed level (1. 4 m/min) ,
even a slight change of casting speed could result in a
remarkable increase of the non-metallic inclusions.
Thus, at high casting speed, changing the casting
speed should be avoided or considerably lower speed
changing rate must be used.
(3) T h e maximum depth of the mold powder
entrapment calculated is 26 - 54 mm below the level
of the liquid steel in the mold.
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