High Strength Steel Alloys With Ductility Characteristics

Abstract
A new class of advanced high strength steel alloys with ductility characteristics such as high impact toughness and improved resistance to penetration, crack resistance and crack propagation.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION

This application deals with a new class of advanced high strength steel alloys with ductility characteristics such as high impact toughness and improved resistance to penetration, crack initiation and crack propagation.


BACKGROUND

Toughness as an engineering property can be thought of as the work energy needed to cause failure in a material. The higher the work required to cause failure by a method, the higher the toughness of the material. Toughness in materials is becoming increasingly important across many sectors, especially where tough materials can be used to improve safety. In the automotive industry, relatively high toughness materials are seeing use in so-called crumple zones to reduce the energy that enters the passenger compartment during a collision. Using relatively high toughness materials, gauge thicknesses can be reduced in automobiles in parts where energy absorption is needed to protect passengers, increasing fuel efficiency without compromising safety. These relatively high toughness materials can also be used for road barriers to keep out-of-control vehicles from leaving the roadway or entering the opposing traffic by absorbing energy from the vehicle and safely stopping it. The automotive industry is not alone in the need for relatively high toughness materials, however. The safety of cargo transported overland by rail and on waterways by ships can also be improved with relatively high toughness materials. In recent years, several high-profile incidents where cargo vessels were damaged during collisions or derailments have occurred that have resulted in significant loss of life, property, and cargo. New regulations have been introduced to lessen the probability and impact of such events, and the use of relatively high toughness materials to ensure improved cargo containment is one option available. By increasing the toughness of materials for these shipping containers, cargo can be kept inside the container during such an event and will reduce environmental impact and loss of life or property damage that could result from wayward cargo. Relatively high toughness materials therefore provide many industries the opportunity to improve fuel and cargo efficiency while maintaining or improving safety.


Advanced High Strength Steels (AHSS's) are those classes of materials whose mechanical properties are superior to the conventional steels. Conventional mild steel has a relatively simple ferritic microstructure; it typically has relatively low carbon content and minimal alloying elements, is readily formed, and is especially sought for its ductility. Widely produced and used, mild steel often serves as a baseline for comparison of other materials. Conventional low- to high-strength steels include IF (interstitial free), BH (bake hardened), and HSLA (high-strength low-alloy). These steels generally have a yield strength of less than 550 MPa and ductility that decreases with increased strength. Higher strength steels are more complex and include such grades as dual phase (DP), complex phase (CP) and transformation induced plasticity (TRIP) steels. The development of advanced high strengths steel has been a challenge since increased strength often results in reduced ductility, cold formability, and toughness.


Toughness can be measured by a variety of methods, with each method characterizing a material response to a specific condition. Methods to characterize toughness include tensile testing, bulk fracture testing, and Charpy impact testing including V-notched and un-notched specimen geometries. Tensile testing is one of the most widely used methods for mechanical properties evaluation and generally performed by applying load to a sample with a reduced section by a moving crosshead until the sample fails. The displacement rate of the crosshead in tensile testing is generally kept constant or near constant, resulting in a relatively narrow range of strain rates throughout the test. Tensile testing can provide a measure of toughness by calculating the integral of the engineering stress −engineering strain curve and is related to the work required to break the sample in tension and estimated by multiplying the ultimate tensile strength by the total elongation (strength-ductility product). Toughness requirements are unique for each application and a selection of testing method depends on where the application is likely to see failure in a manner similar to particular test condition.


SUMMARY

A method to achieve a strength/ductility characteristic in a metal comprising:


a. supplying a metal alloy comprising at least 70 atomic percent Fe, at least 9.0 atomic percent Mn, at least 0.4 atomic percent Al, and at least two elements selected from Cr, Si or C, melting and cooling at a rate of ≤250 K/s to a thickness of 25.0 mm to 500.0 mm;


b. processing said alloy into sheet by heating and reducing said thickness to form to a thickness of 1.5 mm to 8.0 mm wherein the sheet exhibits an ultimate tensile strength (TS) of 650 MPa to 1500 MPa, a yield strength (YS) at 0.2% offset of 200 MPa to 1,000 MPa and an elongation (E) from 10% to 70%, wherein the alloy further indicates a strength ductility product (TS×E) in the range of 15,000 MPa % to 75,000 MPa %.


A method to achieve a strength/ductility characteristic in a metal comprising:


a. supplying a metal alloy comprising at least 70 atomic percent Fe, at least 9.0 atomic percent Mn, at least 0.4 atomic percent Al, and at least two elements selected from Cr, Si or C, melting and cooling at a rate of ≤250 K/s to a thickness of 25.0 mm to 500.0 mm;


b. processing said alloy into sheet by heating and reducing said thickness to form to a thickness of 1.5 mm to 8.0 mm;


c. processing said alloy into sheet by reducing said thickness without heating to form to a thickness of 0.5 mm to 3.0 mm wherein the sheet is annealed and exhibits an ultimate tensile strength (TS) of 650 MPa to 1500 MPa, a yield strength (YS) at 0.2% offset of 200 MPa to 1000 MPa and an elongation (E) from 10.0% to 90.0%, wherein the alloy further indicates a strength ductility product (TS×E) in the range of 10,000 MPa % to 80,000 MPa %.





BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description below may be better understood with reference to the accompanying FIG.s which are provided for illustrative purposes and are not to be considered as limiting any aspect of this invention.



FIG. 1 Summary on steps towards toughness achievements in alloys herein for the method herein where the alloy at an initial thickness of 25.0 mm to 500.0 mm is heated while reduced in thickness to a reduced thickness of 1.5 mm to 8.0 mm.



FIG. 2 Summary on steps towards toughness achievements in alloys herein where the alloy at an initial thickness of 25.0 mm to 500.0 mm is processed into sheet by heating and reducing thickness to 1.5 mm to 8.0 mm and then further reduced to a thickness of 0.5 to 3.0 mm without heating and to provide the indicated properties.



FIG. 3 Tensile testing geometry; (a) Example of the tensile specimen before testing, and (b) Schematic illustration (all dimensions are in mm).



FIG. 4 Charpy V-notched testing geometry; (a) Example of the Charpy V-notched specimen before testing, and (b) Schematic illustration (all dimensions are in mm).



FIG. 5 Bulk fracture testing geometry; (a) Example of the bulk fracture specimen before testing, and (b) Schematic illustration (all dimensions are in mm).



FIG. 6 Examples of the unbroken Charpy V-notch specimen after testing from (a) Alloy 1, (b) Alloy 2, (c) Alloy 3, and (d) Alloy 4.



FIG. 7 SEM images of the fracture surface in the Charpy V-notch specimen from Alloy 7 after testing.



FIG. 8 SEM images of the fracture surface in the Charpy V-notch specimen from Alloy 9 after testing.



FIG. 9 SEM images of the fracture surface in the Charpy V-notch specimen from Alloy 19 after testing.



FIG. 10 SEM images of the fracture surface in the Charpy V-notch specimen from Alloy 20 after testing.



FIG. 11 SEM images of the fracture surface in the bulk fracture test specimen from Alloy 7 after testing.



FIG. 12 SEM images of the fracture surface in the bulk fracture test specimen from Alloy 9 after testing.



FIG. 13 SEM images of the fracture surface in the bulk fracture test specimen from Alloy 19 after testing.



FIG. 14 SEM images of the fracture surface in the bulk fracture test specimen from Alloy 20 after testing.



FIG. 15 Examples of unbroken specimens with different thicknesses; (a) From Alloy 7, and (b) From Alloy 9.



FIG. 16 Charpy V-notch toughness as a function of thickness in Alloy 7.



FIG. 17 Charpy V-notch toughness as a function of thickness in Alloy 9.



FIG. 18 Drawing of the impactor utilized during drop impact testing (all dimensions are in mm).



FIG. 19 A 4 mm thick bulk fracture test specimen from Alloy 24 after testing.



FIG. 20 Side view of a 4 mm thick drop impact test specimen from Alloy 24 hot band after testing.



FIG. 21 View of the impact location of a 4 mm thick drop impact test specimen from Alloy 24 hot band after testing.





DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Alloys herein can be produced by different methods of casting including but not limited to continuous casting, thin slab casting, thick slab, and bloom casting at 25.0 to 500.0 mm in thickness with achievement of advanced property combinations by subsequent post-processing. After casting hot rolling is applied to produce thickness ranges from 1.5 to 8.0 mm. Cold rolling may be additionally applied to the hot rolled sheet to produce thickness ranges from 0.5 to 3.0 mm. Annealing may or may not be applied to produced hot rolled and/or cold rolled sheet or plate. FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 provides property ranges for the alloys herein processed in a sheet form. The property ranges in this figure is collected from the ensuing description of the alloys and associated testing.



FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 illustrate the toughness achievements in alloys herein. In Step 1 in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the preferred starting condition is to supply a metal alloy with Fe, Mn and Al, at least two elements selected from Cr, Si, or C, and optionally, Ni and/or Cu. The alloy chemistry is melted, cooled at a rate of ≤250 K/s, and solidified to a thickness of 25.0 mm and up to 500.0 mm. The casting process can be done in a wide variety of processes including ingot casting, bloom casting, continuous casting, thin slab casting, thick slab casting, belt casting etc. Preferred methods would be continuous casting in sheet form by thin slab casting or thick slab casting. To produce alloys herein in a sheet form, the cast processes can vary widely depending on specific manufacturing routes and specific targeted goals. As an example, consider thick slab casting as one process route to get to sheet product. The alloy would be preferably cast going through a water-cooled mold typically in a thickness range of 150 mm to 350 mm in thickness. Another example would be to preferably process the cast material through a thin slab casting process where casting is typically from 25 to 150 mm in thickness by going through a water-cooled mold. Note that bloom casting would be similar to the examples above, but higher thickness might be cast typically from 200 to 500 mm thick.


Step 2 in FIG. 1 corresponds to processing said sheet with an initial cast thickness of 25.0 mm to 500.0 mm and reducing to a thickness from 1.5 to 8.0 mm while heating. The processing of the cast material in Step 1 into sheet form can be done by heating, such as by hot rolling, forming a hot band/plate by various methods including roughing mill hot rolling, finishing mill hot rolling, and Steckel mills. The preferred temperature range for such heating is in the range of 700° C. up to the solidus temperature of the alloy. To optimize properties of the hot band after it is produced, the hot band may be additionally heat treated by continuous methods including anneal and pickle lines and continuous annealing lines and batch annealing furnaces. Preferably, sheet material from alloys herein where the thickness reduction has been achieved in the presence of heating has an ultimate tensile strength from 650 to 1500 MPa, a yield strength (YS) at 0.2% offset from 200 MPa to 1,000 MPa, a total elongation from 10% to 70%. Calculated characteristics of toughness based on tensile testing data are represented by the strength/elongation product from 15,000 MPa % to 75,000 MPa % and can be further characterized as having an area under tensile curve from 150 to 600 N/mm2 (Modulus of toughness).


Step 2 in FIG. 2 corresponds to processing said alloy into sheet with heating and reducing the thickness of the alloy from an initial thickness of 25.0 mm to 500.0 mm to form a thickness of 1.5 mm to 8.0 mm. The processing of the cast material in Step 1 of FIG. 2 into an initial sheet form at a thickness of 25.0 mm to 500.0 mm can again be done by heating, such as by hot rolling, forming a hot band by various methods including roughing mill hot rolling, finishing mill hot rolling, and Steckel mills. Again, the preferred temperature range for such heating is in the range of 700° C. up to the solidus temperature of the alloy.


Step 3 in FIG. 2 is therefore preferably done through cold rolling to produce cold rolled sheet with typical thickness from 0.5 to 3.0 mm thick. Note that cold rolling is done without external heat applied to the sheet before or after the reduction process but internal heating/adiabatic heating during the reduction process would be inherent in the process. Cold reduction can be applied at various reductions per pass, variable number of passes and in different mills including tandem mills, Z-mills, Sendzimir mills, and reversing mills. After cold rolling to produce a targeted gauge from 0.5 to 3.0 mm thick, the cold rolled material, which has reduced ductility remaining since, ductility is reduced due to the deformation/gauge reduction, can be preferably annealed to increase the ductility lost from the cold rolling process either partially or completely. Heat treatment, if applied, will be from 600° C. up to the melting point (defined as the solidus temperature). Time for heat treatment can vary depending on the equipment utilized, the thickness of the material heat treated, and the goal of the heat treatment (partial recrystallization, full recrystallization, normalization, heat treatment etc.) but is preferably in the range from 1 minute to 72 hours. Preferably, sheet material from alloys herein by the procedure in FIG. 2 has an ultimate tensile strength from 650 to 1500 MPa, a yield strength at 0.2% offset from 200 MPa to 1,000 MPa, a total elongation from 10 to 90%. Calculated characteristics of toughness based on tensile testing data are represented by the strength/elongation product from 10,000 MPa % to 80,000 MPa %, and may be further characterized by an area under tensile curve from 100 to 700 N/mm2 (Modulus of toughness).


Sheet toughness produced from FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 was preferably evaluated by drop impact testing, bulk fracture testing, and Charpy V-notch impact testing. Drop impact testing was used to gauge sheet material toughness and its resistance to penetration. This technique employs a weight dropped from a specific height onto a planar sample that is biaxially constrained. The direction of movement of the impactor is normal to both biaxially constrained directions and in the same direction as the material's thickness. The drop impact testing technique tests a biaxially constrained material's resistance to penetration by an object moving normal to its surface. Preferably, the sheet material herein produced via the method in FIG. 1 exhibits a drop impact toughness of 100 J to 1250 J. Additionally, the range of thickness normalized drop impact toughness is from 75 J/mm to 160 J/mm. Thickness normalized drop impact toughness is the ratio of the toughness measured in Joules from the drop impact test divided by the thickness of the particular sample tested in mm. Preferably, the sheet material herein produced via the method in FIG. 2 exhibits a drop impact toughness of 40 to 700 J. Additionally, the range of thickness normalized drop impact toughness is from 75 to 250 J/mm. As the material gauge is increased from 1.5 to 8.0 mm in thickness in FIG. 1 or increased from 0.5 to 3.0 mm in FIG. 2, it is contemplated that the drop impact toughness values will increase accordingly.


Bulk fracture testing has been developed to test material toughness to simulate material performance under specific collision-like loading events. It characterizes a resistance to crack initiation. The bulk fracture sample is dynamically loaded perpendicular to the thickness of the material. The sample ends are held fixed in place during the test. This load deforms the sample out of plane until the sample fails by a plastic instability (necking in ductile metals), similar to failure by tensile loading. Preferably, the sheet material herein produced via the method in FIG. 1 exhibits a bulk fracture toughness depending on sheet thickness from 10 to 400 J. Additionally, the range of thickness normalized bulk fracture toughness is from 5 to 50 J/mm. Preferably, the sheet material herein produced via the method in FIG. 2 exhibits a bulk fracture toughness from 2 to 175 J. Additionally, the range of thickness normalized bulk fracture toughness from 1 to 60 J/mm. Thickness normalized bulk fracture toughness is the ratio of the toughness measured in Joules from the bulk fracture test divided by the thickness of the particular sample tested in mm. As the material gauge is increased from 1.5 to 8.0 mm in thickness in FIG. 1 or increased from 0.5 to 3.0 mm in FIG. 2, it is contemplated that the bulk fracture toughness values will increase accordingly.


Charpy impact testing is preferably performed by the dynamic loading of a sample by a swinging hammer starting from a known height and distance from the center of rotation. The ends of the samples in Charpy impact testing are free and the loading of the sample is similar to a three-point bend test. The total energy of the moving hammer is known and the energy lost in the impact event with the sample can be measured by the rotation angle of the hammer after impact. In Charpy V-notch testing the sample has a pre-machined stress concentration point at the V-notch tip which helps encourage crack nucleation. In this test, the hammer strikes the side opposite the machined notch. Charpy V-notch impact testing measures the work required to plastically deform the sample as well as crack nucleation and propagation. Preferably, the sheet material herein produced via the method in FIG. 1 exhibits a Charpy V-notched toughness of 10 to 150 J. Additionally, the range of thickness normalized Charpy V-Notched toughness is from 5 to 25 J/mm. Preferably, the sheet material herein produced via the method in FIG. 2 exhibits a Charpy V-notched toughness of 0.5 to 75 J. Additionally, the range of thickness normalized Charpy V-Notched toughness from 0.5 to 25 J/mm. Thickness normalized Charpy V-Notched is the ratio of the toughness measured in Joules from the Charpy V-Notched test divided by the thickness of the particular sample tested in mm.


Main Body
Alloys

The chemical composition of the alloys herein is shown in Table 1, which provides the preferred atomic ratios utilized.









TABLE 1







Chemical Composition Of Alloys (Atomic %)















Alloy
Fe
Mn
Al
Cr
Si
C
Ni
Cu


















Alloy 1
70.92
14.10
5.11
2.50
4.87
0.75
1.13
0.62


Alloy 2
77.35
11.51
4.42

0.76
2.55
2.56
0.85


Alloy 3
79.85
12.04
2.42

0.79
2.67
1.34
0.89


Alloy 4
77.85
12.04
4.42

0.79
2.67
1.34
0.89


Alloy 5
75.85
12.04
6.42

0.79
2.67
1.34
0.89


Alloy 6
75.11
12.04
3.65
2.63
5.13
0.79

0.65


Alloy 7
74.05
12.04
4.71
2.63
5.13
0.79

0.65


Alloy 8
72.13
12.04
6.63
2.63
5.13
0.79

0.65


Alloy 9
75.03
12.04
4.38
2.63
5.13
0.79




Alloy 10
73.76
12.04
5.65
2.63
5.13
0.79




Alloy 11
74.42
12.04
4.34
2.63
5.13
0.79

0.65


Alloy 12
75.21
12.04
4.34
2.63
5.13


0.65


Alloy 13
73.63
12.04
4.34
2.63
5.13
1.58

0.65


Alloy 14
76.42
12.04
4.34
2.63
3.13
0.79

0.65


Alloy 15
78.42
12.04
4.34
2.63
1.13
0.79

0.65


Alloy 16
75.76
14.00
4.00
1.02
4.43
0.79




Alloy 17
74.65
12.04
4.76
2.63
5.13
0.79




Alloy 18
75.44
12.04
4.76
2.63
5.13





Alloy 19
73.86
12.04
4.76
2.63
5.13
1.58




Alloy 20
76.65
12.04
4.76
2.63
3.13
0.79




Alloy 21
78.65
12.04
4.76
2.63
1.13
0.79




Alloy 22
76.15
9.16
6.14
2.63
5.13
0.79




Alloy 23
74.37
13.13
4.00
2.63
4.43
0.79

0.65


Alloy 24
74.26
13.57
4.00
2.63
4.43
0.79

0.32


Alloy 25
74.15
14.00
4.00
2.63
4.43
0.79




Alloy 26
75.68
13.13
4.00
1.32
4.43
0.79

0.65


Alloy 27
75.57
13.57
4.00
1.32
4.43
0.79

0.32


Alloy 28
75.46
14.00
4.00
1.32
4.43
0.79




Alloy 29
77.00
13.13
4.00

4.43
0.79

0.65


Alloy 30
76.89
13.57
4.00

4.43
0.79

0.32


Alloy 31
76.78
14.00
4.00

4.43
0.79




Alloy 32
73.52
12.14
4.61
3.26
4.07
2.11

0.29


Alloy 33
75.69
14.16
3.20
4.59

1.51
0.37
0.48


Alloy 34
70.45
16.85
0.87
1.49
6.22
1.72
0.55
1.85


Alloy 35
78.86
14.41
2.68
0.29
0.87
1.15
0.78
0.96


Alloy 36
76.83
13.67
0.42

2.78
0.38
3.47
2.45


Alloy 37
75.57
11.33
5.55
6.22
0.35
0.98




Alloy 38
72.85
16.98
1.70
2.76
3.03
1.13

1.55


Alloy 39
74.19
15.64
1.70
2.76
3.03
1.13

1.55


Alloy 40
74.25
16.31
1.26
2.76
3.03
1.13

1.26









With regards to the above, and as can be seen from Table 1, preferably, when Fe is present at a level of greater than or equal to 70 at. % with Mn and Al, at least two elements are selected from Cr, Si, or C, and optionally, Ni and/or Cu to provide a formulation of elements that totals 100 atomic percent. More preferably, the alloys herein can be described as comprising, consisting essentially of, or consisting of the following elements at the indicated atomic percent: Fe (70 to 80 at. %), Mn (9.0 to 17.0 at. %), Al (0.4 to 6.7 at. %), at least two elements selected from Cr, Si, or C in the following ranges, Cr (0.2 to 6.3 at. %), Si (0.3 to 6.3 at. %), and C (0.3 to 2.7 at. %), and optionally Ni (0.3 to 3.5 at. %) and/or Cu (0.2 to 2.5 at. %). The level of impurities of other elements is in the range of 0 to 5,000 ppm, or 0 to 4000 ppm, or 0 to 3000 ppm, or 0 to 2000 ppm, or 0 to 1000 ppm. In a more preferred embodiment, the alloys herein are substantially free of nickel and copper, meaning that nickel and copper are present only as potential impurities, such as at a level of 0 to 5000 ppm, or 0 to 4000 ppm, or 0 to 3000 ppm, or 0 to 2000 ppm, or 0 to 1000 ppm.


The alloys herein were processed into a laboratory sheet by processing of laboratory slabs. Laboratory alloy processing is developed to mimic closely the commercial sheet production by continuous casting and include hot rolling and cold rolling. Annealing might be applied depending on targeted properties. Produced sheet can be used in hot rolled (hot band), cold rolled, annealed or partially annealed states.


Laboratory Slab Casting

Alloys were weighed out into 3,000 to 3,400 gram charges according to the atomic ratios in Table 1 using commercially available ferroadditive powders and a base steel feedstock with known chemistry. Impurities can be present at various levels depending on the feedstock used. Impurity elements would commonly include the following elements; Co, N, P, Ti, Mo, W, Ga, Ge, Sb, Nb, Zr, O, Sn, Ca, B, and S which if present would be in the range from 0 to 5,000 ppm (parts per million) (0 to 0.5 wt %) at the expense of the desired elements noted previously. Preferably, the level of impurities is controlled to fall in the range of 0 to 3,000 ppm (0.3 wt %).


Charges were loaded into a zirconia coated silica crucible which was placed into an Indutherm VTC800V vacuum tilt casting machine. The machine then evacuated the casting and melting chambers and flushed with argon to atmospheric pressure twice prior to casting to prevent oxidation of the melt. The melt was heated with a 14 kHz RF induction coil until fully molten, approximately from 5 to 7 minutes depending on the alloy composition and charge mass. After the last solids were observed to melt it was allowed to heat for an additional 30 to 45 seconds to provide superheat and ensure melt homogeneity. The casting machine then evacuated the chamber and tilted the crucible and poured the melt into a water-cooled copper die. The melt was allowed to cool under vacuum for 200 seconds before the chamber was filled with argon to atmospheric pressure.


Physical Properties of Cast Alloys

A sample of between 50 and 150 mg from each alloy herein was taken in the as-cast condition. This sample was heated to an initial ramp temperature between 900° C. and 1300° C. depending on alloy chemistry, at a rate of 40° C./min. Temperature was then increased at 10° C./min to a max temperature between 1425° C. and 1510° C. (maximum temperature limit for the used DSC equipment) depending on alloy chemistry. Once this maximum temperature was achieved, the sample was cooled at a rate of 10° C./min back to the initial ramp temperature before being reheated at 10° C./min to the maximum temperature. Differential Scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements were taken using a Netzsch Pegasus 404 DSC through all four stages of the experiment, and this data was used to determine the solidus and liquidus temperatures of each alloy, which are in a range from 1325 to 1510° C. as listed in Table 2. Depending on the alloy's chemistry, liquidus-solidus gap varies from 38 to 139° C. Thermal analysis provides information on maximum temperature for the following hot rolling processes that varies depending on alloy chemistry.









TABLE 2







Thermal Analysis Of Selected Alloys













Solidus
Liquidus
Melting Gap



Alloy
(° C.)
(° C.)
(° C.)
















Alloy 1
1346
1455
109



Alloy 2
1423
1472
49



Alloy 3
1430
1486
56



Alloy 4
1409
1471
62



Alloy 5
1374
1460
85



Alloy 6
1364
1475
111



Alloy 7
1347
1466
119



Alloy 8
1325
1463
139



Alloy 9
1355
1475
120



Alloy 10
1340
1471
131



Alloy 11
1352
1464
112



Alloy 12
1385
1470
85



Alloy 13
1342
1459
117



Alloy 14
1391
1481
90



Alloy 15
1423
1506
84



Alloy 16
1377
1469
91



Alloy 17
1353
1473
120



Alloy 18
1408
1481
73



Alloy 19
1341
1450
109



Alloy 20
1390
1491
101



Alloy 21
1424
1510
86



Alloy 22
1367
1475
108



Alloy 23
1366
1464
98



Alloy 24
1367
1459
92



Alloy 25
1368
1463
94



Alloy 26
1402
1476
74



Alloy 27
1397
1474
77



Alloy 28
1403
1481
78



Alloy 29
1389
1479
90



Alloy 30
1377
1479
102



Alloy 31
1378
1466
88



Alloy 32
1377
1454
77



Alloy 33
1420
1478
58



Alloy 34
1400
1452
52



Alloy 35
1439
1482
43



Alloy 36
1426
1464
38



Alloy 37
1411
1502
91



Alloy 38
1392
1445
53



Alloy 39
1390
1451
61



Alloy 40
1386
1452
66










The density of the alloys herein was measured on samples from hot rolled material using the Archimedes method in a specially constructed balance allowing weighing in both air and distilled water. The density of each alloy is tabulated in Table 3 and was found to be in the range from 7.35 to 7.90 g/cm3. The accuracy of this technique is ±0.01 g/cm3.









TABLE 3







Density Of Alloys










Alloy
Density (g/cm3)














Alloy 1
7.48



Alloy 2
7.69



Alloy 3
7.80



Alloy 4
7.67



Alloy 5
7.55



Alloy 6
7.57



Alloy 7
7.49



Alloy 8
7.35



Alloy 9
7.51



Alloy 10
7.42



Alloy 11
7.52



Alloy 12
7.51



Alloy 13
7.50



Alloy 14
7.61



Alloy 15
7.68



Alloy 16
7.58



Alloy 17
7.49



Alloy 18
7.48



Alloy 19
7.47



Alloy 20
7.57



Alloy 21
7.65



Alloy 22
7.38



Alloy 23
7.56



Alloy 24
7.56



Alloy 25
7.56



Alloy 26
7.58



Alloy 27
7.57



Alloy 28
7.58



Alloy 29
7.59



Alloy 30
7.59



Alloy 31
7.59



Alloy 32
7.50



Alloy 33
7.73



Alloy 34
7.82



Alloy 35
7.79



Alloy 36
7.90



Alloy 37
7.60



Alloy 38
7.73



Alloy 39
7.74



Alloy 40
7.76










Laboratory Processing into Hot Band Through Hot Rolling

The alloys herein were preferably processed into a laboratory hot band by hot rolling of laboratory slabs at high temperatures. Laboratory alloy processing is developed to simulate the hot band production from slabs produced by continuous casting. Industrial hot rolling is performed by heating a slab in a tunnel furnace to a target temperature, then passing it through either a reversing mill or a multi-stand mill or a combination of both to reach the target gauge. During rolling on either mill type, the temperature of the slab is steadily decreasing due to heat loss to the air and to the work rolls, so the final hot band is formed at a reduced temperature. This is simulated in the laboratory by heating in a tunnel furnace to between 1100° C. and 1250° C., then hot rolling. The laboratory mill is slower than industrial mills causing greater loss of heat during each hot rolling pass, so the slab is reheated for 4 minutes between passes to reduce the drop in temperature. The final temperature at target gauge when exiting the laboratory mill commonly is in the range from 800° C. to 1,000° C., depending on furnace temperature and final thickness.


Prior to hot rolling, laboratory slabs were preheated in a Lucifer EHS3GT-B18 furnace. The furnace set point varies between 1100° C. to 1250° C., depending on alloy melting point and point in the hot rolling process, with the initial temperatures set higher to facilitate higher reductions, and later temperatures set lower to minimize surface oxidation on the hot band. The slabs were allowed to soak for 40 minutes prior to hot rolling to ensure they reach the target temperature and then pushed out of the tunnel furnace into a Fenn Model 061 2 high rolling mill. The 50 mm casts were hot rolled for 5 to 10 passes though the mill before being allowed to air cool. Final thickness ranges after hot rolling are preferably from 1.5 mm to 8.0 mm with variable reduction per pass ranging from 20% to 50%.


Tensile testing results for hot band with thickness from 1.8 to 2.7 mm are listed in Table 4. Two to four specimens were tested for each alloy. The ultimate tensile strength values of the annealed sheet from alloys herein are in a range from 732 to 1434 MPa, the yield strength at 0.2% offset (a parallel line is drawn on the initial stress strain curve and the resulting point of intersection is measured at the 0.2% offset) varies from 405 to 771 MPa, the total elongation recorded in the range from 17.2 to 69.5%, strength ductility product toughness, i.e. the ultimate tensile strength times the total elongation, varies from 17,500 to 71,100 MPa %, and a Modulus of toughness which is calculated in a range from 152 to 580 N/mm2. Note that the Modulus of Toughness represents the numerical integration of the stress-strain curve area under tensile stress-strain curve from no applied strain all the way up to failure. The Table 4 properties correspond to Step 2 in FIG. 1.









TABLE 4







Tensile Properties Of Hot Band Sheet















Ultimate
Yield
Strength
Area Under




Total
Tensile
Strength,
Ductility
Stress-Strain



Elongation
Strength
0.2% Offset
Product
Curve
Thickness


Alloy
(%)
(MPa)
(MPa)
(MPa %)
(N · mm/mm3)
(mm)
















Alloy 1
66.7
954
575
63,600
570
2.2



69.5
935
554
65,000
580
2.3



68.2
936
557
63,800
570
2.3



68.0
935
556
63,600
569
2.3


Alloy 2
57.2
762
451
45,600
392
2.0



60.1
749
440
45,000
403
2.0



57.6
774
466
44,600
403
2.0



67.6
763
441
51,600
466
2.0


Alloy 3
45.3
833
459
37,700
322
1.9



50.9
863
488
43,900
379
1.9



54.4
867
488
47,100
408
1.9



47.5
860
504
40,900
354
2.0


Alloy 4
66.7
830
524
53,300
504
2.1



62.4
830
535
51,800
469
2.1



61.8
827
535
51,100
462
2.1



59.8
818
520
48,900
440
2.1


Alloy 5
63.5
794
574
50,400
476
2.0



61.9
791
572
48,900
461
2.0



58.2
792
555
46,100
431
1.9



44.9
783
548
35,100
324
1.9


Alloy 6
46.3
1382
431
64,000
478
2.3



46.0
1383
434
63,600
474
2.3



38.2
1388
432
53,100
369
2.3



44.8
1381
434
61,800
454
2.3


Alloy 7
50.1
1315
518
65,800
502
2.2



48.9
1302
508
63,700
488
2.2



51.4
1309
497
67,300
518
2.2



48.6
1305
507
63,500
488
2.2


Alloy 8
27.3
966
771
26,400
253
2.2



24.0
960
703
23,000
220
2.2



23.6
960
681
22,700
217
2.2



31.2
964
717
30,000
289
2.2


Alloy 9
34.9
1434
460
50,100
339
2.2



27.1
1345
448
36,500
228
2.2



31.6
1404
468
44,400
290
2.3



28.7
1411
440
40,400
249
2.2


Alloy 10
46.2
1255
628
57,900
471
2.2



47.7
1250
608
59,600
478
2.2



41.7
1223
515
51,000
402
2.7



42.3
1214
573
51,300
406
2.7


Alloy 11
29.2
1261
505
36,800
245
2.2



31.4
1299
504
40,800
274
2.2



35.9
1346
500
48,300
334
2.2


Alloy 12
37.5
1247
429
46,700
349
2.1



38.4
1244
424
47,700
359
2.1



37.6
1246
485
46,800
352
2.1


Alloy 13
31.6
1037
662
32,800
275
2.2



28.8
1007
658
29,000
245
2.1



34.2
1065
635
36,400
301
2.2


Alloy 14
43.9
1274
494
55,900
410
2.1



46.9
1242
505
58,300
449
2.1



46.3
1261
507
58,400
440
2.1


Alloy 15
46.7
1123
478
52,500
406
1.9



48.2
1112
479
53,600
423
1.9



45.9
1115
469
51,100
399
1.9


Alloy 16
44.0
1277
411
56,200
417
2.1



45.2
1296
426
58,600
428
2.1



41.6
1287
429
53,600
385
2.1


Alloy 17
35.6
1385
514
49,300
344
2.1



35.1
1374
512
48,200
333
2.1



37.2
1393
523
51,800
366
2.1


Alloy 18
36.8
1264
454
46,500
357
2.2



37.7
1266
482
47,800
368
2.2



36.7
1261
484
46,200
354
2.2


Alloy 19
24.7
982
625
24,200
198
2.2



25.7
1002
624
25,800
209
2.2



26.7
1023
611
27,300
218
2.2


Alloy 20
41.1
1364
495
56,000
402
2.1



30.4
1292
478
39,200
269
2.1



36.6
1351
497
49,400
348
2.1


Alloy 21
42.9
1226
450
52,600
407
2.0



40.5
1227
450
49,700
378
2.0



39.8
1233
436
49,000
370
2.0


Alloy 22
17.2
1016
692
17,500
152
2.0



17.8
1019
760
18,100
157
2.0


Alloy 23
53.0
1236
492
65,500
507
2.1



36.4
1184
494
43,100
312
2.1



48.5
1250
513
60,700
457
2.1


Alloy 24
45.0
1247
482
56,200
417
2.0



49.2
1254
492
61,800
464
2.1



45.9
1247
482
57,300
427
2.1


Alloy 25
41.5
1260
480
52,300
378
2.1



34.0
1169
486
39,700
286
2.1



56.9
1250
482
71,100
567
2.1


Alloy 26
49.1
1276
473
62,600
473
2.1



50.7
1290
484
65,400
493
2.1


Alloy 27
51.3
1252
451
64,200
495
2.1



35.6
1230
456
43,800
306
2.0



46.6
1256
437
58,500
438
2.1


Alloy 28
46.7
1283
414
59,800
444
2.0



47.3
1271
412
60,200
450
2.0



48.5
1269
412
61,500
467
2.1


Alloy 29
45.2
1312
446
59,300
441
2.0



47.2
1310
455
61,800
464
2.0



45.3
1318
450
59,800
439
2.0


Alloy 30
43.1
1318
428
56,700
410
2.0



43.8
1338
430
58,600
421
2.0



37.4
1313
430
49,100
341
2.0


Alloy 31
39.0
1293
408
50,400
355
2.0



33.5
1271
405
42,500
284
2.0



40.2
1297
410
52,200
372
2.0


Alloy 32
41.4
951
650
39,300
353
2.1



42.7
962
650
41,100
365
2.1



42.6
960
654
40,900
371
2.1


Alloy 33
57.4
829
533
47,600
436
1.9



62.7
831
543
52,100
480
1.9



59.4
831
542
49,300
452
1.9


Alloy 34
53.9
855
571
46,100
422
1.8



57.2
855
586
48,900
452
1.8



56.2
857
583
48,200
444
1.8


Alloy 35
59.2
826
473
48,900
442
1.8



60.8
836
486
50,800
460
1.9



61.2
836
478
51,200
463
1.9


Alloy 36
59.2
736
415
43,600
396
1.8



59.4
732
408
43,500
395
1.8



61.8
745
430
46,000
421
1.8


Alloy 37
46.1
970
539
44,700
361
2.0



38.2
939
539
35,800
292
2.0



38.8
943
535
36,500
298
2.0


Alloy 38
63.1
844
446
53,300
479
1.9



66.4
839
457
55,700
503
2.0



61.5
840
447
51,600
465
2.0



65.2
851
463
55,400
502
2.0


Alloy 39
64.5
893
455
57,600
513
2.0



61.2
877
438
53,700
478
2.0



64.5
875
430
56,400
503
2.0



61.5
890
428
54,700
486
2.0


Alloy 40
61.4
948
423
58,200
515
1.9



62.8
945
436
59,300
527
1.9



62.5
946
440
59,000
525
1.9



64.2
946
451
60,600
540
1.9









Further Laboratory Processing into Sheet Through Cold Rolling and Annealing

Alloys with chemistries listed in Table 1 were laboratory cast into ingots with 50 mm thickness. The ingots then were hot rolled at the temperature in a range between 1100° C. and 1250° C. and afterward the hot rolled material (i.e. hot band) was media blasted prior to cold rolling to remove surface oxides which could become embedded during the rolling process. Final thickness after cold rolling are preferably from 0.5 mm to 3.0 mm with variable reduction per pass ranging from 10% to 50%.


For this specific study, hot rolling was done to produce sheet in a range from 1.9 mm to 2.3 mm which was cold rolled using a Fenn Model 061 2 high rolling mill to a thickness range from 1.1 to 1.4 mm with reductions from 10% to 40%. Once the final gauge thickness was reached, tensile samples were cut from the laboratory sheet by wire-EDM. An example of tensile specimen before testing and its dimensions are shown in FIG. 3. The samples were annealed under conditions intended to simulate the thermal exposure expected during an industrial continuous annealing process (850° C. for 10 min) or batch annealing (950° C. for 6 hr) representing final treatment of sheet material in Step 2 in FIG. 2. Samples for 850° C. heat treatment were wrapped in stainless steel foil to prevent oxidation and loaded into a preheated furnace at 850° C. Samples were left in the furnace for 10 minutes while the furnace purged with argon before being removed and allowed to air cool. Samples for 950° C. heat treatment were placed in a hydrogen furnace at room temperature, heated up to 950° C. in hydrogen and argon atmosphere, held for 6 hours, and cooled in the furnace to less than 100° C. in argon.


Tensile properties were measured on an Instron mechanical testing frame (Model 3369), utilizing Instron's Bluehill control and analysis software. All tests were run at ambient temperature in displacement control at a constant displacement rate of 0.036 mm/s.


Tensile properties of sheet material with thickness from 1.1 to 1.4 mm from alloys herein after annealing at 850° C. for 10 min are listed in Table 5. The ultimate tensile strength values of the annealed sheet from alloys herein are in a range from 717 to 1414 MPa, the yield strength at 0.2% offset varies from 273 to 838 MPa, the total elongation recorded in the range from 20.8 to 78.9%, strength ductility product toughness varies from 20,500 to 77,100 MPa %, and area under tensile stress-strain curve is calculated in a range from 135 to 677 N/mm2. Note that the Table 5 properties correspond to Step 2 in FIG. 2.









TABLE 5







Tensile Properties Of Final Sheet After


Annealing At 850° C. For 10 min

















Area Under



Total
Ultimate
Yield
Strength
Stress-Strain



Elonga-
Tensile
Strength,
Ductility
Curve



tion
Strength
0.2% Offset
Product
(N · mm/


Alloy
(%)
(MPa)
(MPa)
(MPa %)
mm3)















Alloy 1
78.6
887
455
69,700
616



78.9
888
459
70,000
619



78.5
880
455
69,100
613



77.7
890
467
69,100
614


Alloy 2
76.4
762
355
58,200
509



73.1
756
350
55,200
481



76.4
761
356
58,100
511



72.0
755
352
54,400
475


Alloy 3
67.4
838
339
56,500
470



65.3
825
333
53,800
446



62.3
830
336
51,700
427



62.9
815
333
51,200
423


Alloy 4
65.3
773
366
50,400
432



71.8
778
359
55,800
481



72.0
774
361
55,700
483



68.5
774
363
53,000
458


Alloy 5
72.9
755
394
55,000
492



69.9
757
392
52,900
474



69.3
752
389
52,100
463



67.9
752
395
69,700
454


Alloy 6
40.5
1390
522
56,200
399



39.7
1393
518
55,300
390



42.6
1396
534
59,400
429


Alloy 7
55.2
1243
609
68,600
543



56.0
1274
604
71,200
554


Alloy 8
47.2
951
660
44,900
423



42.5
966
626
41,100
386



46.9
954
637
44,700
422



41.1
965
644
39,700
372


Alloy 9
43.6
1407
623
61,100
453



43.7
1414
639
61,600
454


Alloy 10
57.6
1120
615
64,400
563



58.8
1124
668
66,000
577



57.4
1121
651
64,300
560


Alloy 11
48.1
1354
563
65,100
476



46.6
1338
568
62,400
455



49.7
1333
560
66,200
493


Alloy 12
38.0
1251
613
47,600
361



37.4
1253
599
46,800
354



38.0
1251
610
47,600
362


Alloy 13
38.6
1052
581
40,600
328



44.7
1095
573
48,900
388



42.2
1085
574
45,800
366


Alloy 14
48.4
1219
401
59,000
425



47.3
1226
409
57,900
417



51.6
1208
408
62,300
468


Alloy 15
51.6
1052
317
54,300
406



50.4
1087
320
54,800
394



55.4
1053
321
58,400
446


Alloy 16
42.3
1317
477
55,700
387



42.6
1310
481
55,800
394



48.5
1301
482
63,100
467



46.9
1307
474
61,300
447


Alloy 17
49.0
1331
663
65,200
504



53.1
1330
663
70,600
560



52.4
1325
649
69,500
550


Alloy 18
39.2
1232
648
48,300
383



38.5
1234
669
47,500
375



37.5
1229
644
46,100
363


Alloy 19
43.9
1205
619
52,900
409



52.0
1271
621
66,100
511



59.2
1302
616
77,100
604


Alloy 20
20.8
982
435
20,500
135



22.9
1078
463
24,700
160



23.0
1103
466
25,300
162


Alloy 21
26.8
1070
343
28,700
187



22.7
1017
342
23,100
151



30.5
1139
349
34,700
235


Alloy 22
37.8
1055
768
39,900
373



39.9
1036
838
41,300
386



36.3
1038
745
37,600
349


Alloy 23
56.1
1225
463
68,800
518



56.5
1214
462
68,600
518



56.2
1219
470
68,400
519


Alloy 24
56.9
1244
473
70,800
531



53.5
1229
470
65,700
491



53.1
1241
465
65,900
484


Alloy 25
47.4
1249
474
59,100
421



57.3
1236
470
70,800
542



52.0
1241
474
64,500
483


Alloy 26
48.4
1288
451
62,300
445



50.3
1270
463
63,900
471



50.2
1285
461
64,500
469


Alloy 27
45.1
1304
455
58,800
406



51.1
1287
472
65,700
481



46.0
1282
460
59,000
422


Alloy 28
45.2
1301
460
58,700
418



43.3
1279
439
55,400
390



46.6
1279
457
59,600
435


Alloy 29
44.9
1326
439
59,500
415



43.6
1321
443
57,500
402



49.5
1315
442
65,100
477


Alloy 30
46.0
1348
445
62,100
434



45.2
1345
436
60,800
427



44.8
1330
444
59,600
421


Alloy 31
45.5
1324
443
60,200
516



44.6
1367
448
61,000
517



44.8
1346
439
60,200
508


Alloy 32
67.1
1027
551
68,900
606



73.2
1048
571
76,700
677



66.6
1051
574
70,000
611


Alloy 33
68.7
819
367
56,300
489



68.2
823
371
56,100
488



69.1
829
374
57,200
499


Alloy 34
50.3
918
478
46,200
414



53.4
918
477
49,000
441



53.1
899
449
47,700
423


Alloy 35
75.4
795
287
60,000
508



66.3
784
292
52,000
437



75.8
798
293
60,500
513


Alloy 36
74.2
717
273
53,200
463



71.9
727
282
52,300
454



71.4
739
282
52,800
456


Alloy 37
57.5
1041
368
59,900
460



53.9
1048
372
56,500
430



56.7
1020
365
57,800
452


Alloy 38
71.7
845
379
60,500
530



73.3
846
373
61,900
542



70.7
853
389
60,200
528



68.2
850
381
58,000
505


Alloy 39
69.9
894
390
62,400
537



69.1
903
388
62,400
534



71.7
904
394
64,800
557



70.4
883
376
62,000
534


Alloy 40
70.3
971
402
68,200
576



71.9
956
408
68,600
588



68.6
956
403
65,500
557



71.1
935
391
66,500
569









Tensile properties of sheet material with thickness from 1.1 to 1.4 mm from alloys herein after annealing at 950° C. for 6 hr are listed in Table 6. The ultimate tensile strength values of the annealed sheet from alloys herein are in a range from 679 to 1418 MPa, the yield strength at 0.2% offset varies from 209 to 588 MPa, the total elongation recorded in the range from 12.0 to 88.2%, strength ductility product toughness varies from 11,000 to 76,200 MPa %, and area under tensile stress-strain curve is calculated in a range from 101 to 663 N/mm2. Note that the Table 6 properties correspond to Step 2 in FIG. 2.









TABLE 6







Tensile Properties of Final Sheet


After Annealing At 950° C. For 6 Hr

















Area Under



Total
Ultimate
Yield
Strength
Stress-Strain



Elonga-
Tensile
Strength,
Ductility
Curve



tion
Strength
0.2% Offset
Product
(N · mm/


Alloy
(%)
(MPa)
(MPa)
(MPa %)
mm3)















Alloy 1
84.6
849
328
71,800
594



81.6
850
330
69,300
572



85.8
828
322
71,100
591



84.5
845
328
71,400
591


Alloy 2
88.2
687
281
60,600
526



80.8
684
281
55,300
473



86.6
688
283
59,600
514



81.8
683
280
55,800
475


Alloy 3
76.2
747
275
56,900
460



75.8
751
275
56,900
456



74.7
753
273
56,200
455



85.9
758
278
65,100
536


Alloy 4
75.6
696
287
52,600
443



82.4
703
291
57,900
495



83.7
699
288
58,500
498



83.9
705
288
59,100
507


Alloy 5
81.6
681
305
55,500
489



82.6
679
302
56,100
495



78.2
684
308
53,500
473



78.7
682
305
53,700
473


Alloy 6
27.1
1247
334
33,600
191



31.8
1328
340
42,300
254



42.4
1353
342
57,300
391



34.5
1332
338
45,800
285


Alloy 7
46.5
1304
355
60,600
417



43.4
1304
357
56,600
378



41.0
1301
358
53,300
347



47.1
1304
361
61,400
428


Alloy 8
38.9
919
467
35,800
330



47.1
923
474
43,400
406



53.7
925
447
49,600
466



42.2
923
456
38,900
360


Alloy 9
34.6
1418
356
49,000
308



29.8
1379
354
41,000
238



28.1
1340
346
37,500
213



27.2
1332
346
36,100
203


Alloy 10
31.8
1083
427
34,400
257



31.2
1081
433
33,700
252



32.4
1104
427
35,700
266


Alloy 11
39.1
1327
356
51,900
328



33.6
1266
354
42,600
252



33.7
1270
357
42,800
254


Alloy 12
32.7
1236
319
40,400
289



33.0
1236
319
40,800
292



33.2
1240
318
41,100
294


Alloy 13
45.9
952
396
43,700
326



46.0
954
396
43,800
326


Alloy 14
41.9
1242
299
52,100
333



41.7
1236
303
51,500
331



47.7
1232
301
58,800
406


Alloy 15
46.7
1065
240
49,700
332



40.7
1069
240
43,500
271



44.8
1083
241
48,500
324


Alloy 16
41.3
1256
328
51,800
340



41.6
1261
310
52,500
346



44.9
1256
321
56,400
386



48.6
1250
321
60,700
432


Alloy 17
42.7
1404
377
59,900
410



42.9
1401
377
60,100
414



43.4
1401
377
60,800
420


Alloy 18
32.9
1264
380
41,600
310



32.4
1257
370
40,700
303



32.2
1260
370
40,600
302


Alloy 19
43.9
1078
405
47,300
327



40.3
1030
405
41,500
291



40.6
1041
406
42,300
295


Alloy 20
40.3
1273
300
51,300
344



39.2
1275
299
50,000
335



40.7
1300
301
52,900
354


Alloy 21
39.4
1202
240
47,300
331



39.1
1196
241
46,800
325



36.8
1201
242
44,200
302


Alloy 22
13.8
930
563
12,800
117



15.1
940
588
14,200
129



12.0
916
556
11,000
101


Alloy 23
52.2
1195
333
62,300
429



56.9
1192
334
67,800
487



49.8
1201
332
59,800
404


Alloy 24
53.9
1179
338
63,500
448



51.1
1189
329
60,700
421



55.0
1193
330
65,700
467


Alloy 25
38.7
1142
326
44,200
278



55.5
1203
326
66,700
473



55.1
1198
329
66,000
470


Alloy 26
42.4
1244
318
52,700
334



37.9
1210
322
45,800
281



49.1
1233
320
60,600
418


Alloy 27
50.7
1234
315
62,600
436



50.5
1237
326
62,400
440



47.2
1233
316
58,100
397


Alloy 28
44.9
1232
302
55,400
376



46.1
1248
315
57,500
393



38.1
1228
301
46,800
296


Alloy 29
39.8
1297
310
51,700
321



45.3
1269
321
57,400
389



42.2
1279
321
53,900
348


Alloy 30
44.8
1279
321
57,300
384



46.3
1297
321
60,100
403



44.4
1298
318
57,600
378


Alloy 31
47.5
1311
323
62,200
419



41.7
1268
317
52,800
343



42.0
1284
324
54,000
349


Alloy 32
87.4
868
406
75,800
659



84.9
869
407
73,700
638



88.1
865
406
76,200
663


Alloy 33
79.2
716
260
56,700
474



83.1
716
261
59,500
502



83.1
716
261
59,500
501


Alloy 34
73.0
775
296
56,500
481



67.9
788
307
53,600
456



69.2
776
302
53,700
456


Alloy 35
84.9
712
226
60,400
501



79.0
699
225
55,200
454



81.0
697
227
56,400
464


Alloy 36
76.6
725
209
55,500
456



77.8
717
212
55,800
461



77.1
718
209
55,400
455


Alloy 37
36.4
736
238
26,800
176



29.2
693
239
20,200
135



29.9
706
238
21,100
140


Alloy 38
81.3
791
289
64,300
546



77.8
792
291
61,600
520



78.0
779
287
60,800
515


Alloy 39
78.3
868
294
67,900
556



79.2
861
292
68,200
559



79.0
866
294
68,300
560


Alloy 40
77.1
959
290
73,900
593



74.7
947
292
70,700
569



74.7
955
290
71,400
575









Toughness Testing

Materials toughness was measured by Charpy V-notch testing and bulk fracture testing. Charpy V-notch and bulk fracture samples were machined by wire EDM from cold rolled sheet. Charpy V-notch samples are machined in an L-T orientation (sample length in rolling direction, notch in transverse direction), while bulk fracture samples are machined in L-N orientation (length in rolling direction, striking direction is normal to rolled surface). The samples were then annealed either at 850° C. for 10 minutes in argon/air atmosphere or at 950° C. for 6 hours in hydrogen atmosphere.


The geometry of Charpy V-notch samples were cut in accordance with ASTM E23-12c (10 mm×55 mm×thickness with a centered 45° V-notch of 0.25 mm radius, 2 mm in depth with a surface finish Ra of less than 2.0 μm on notch and strike face). An example of the Charpy V-notch specimen before testing and its schematic illustration are shown in FIG. 4. Charpy V-notch samples are mounted using self-centering tongs to ensure the samples are centered on the anvil. Testing was done by using the Instron SI-1B Pendulum Impact Tester. The arm of the Impact Tester is set to the high latch position with 26.6 lb weights configured for indicating dial maximum reading of 120 ft-lb (162.7 J). The latch is released and the reading of energy absorbed by the sample is recorded in ft-lb and then converted to joules. The grips of bulk fracture Charpy samples are placed in a cutout in the anvil and a screw is tightened down on the grips to constrain the sample in the anvil.


Testing results are shown in Table 7. Absorbed energy values during Charpy V-notch testing of alloys herein are in a range from 0.7 to 26.1 J in cold rolled and annealed sheet with thickness from 1.1 to 1.4 mm. Thickness normalized values of the Charpy V-notched toughness vary from 0.5 to 21.8 J/mm. Note that the Table 7 properties correspond to Step 2 in FIG. 2.









TABLE 7







Charpy V-Notch Testing Data (1.1 to 1.4 mm Thickness)















Thickness




V-Notch Charpy

Normalized V-Notch




Toughness
Thickness
Charpy Toughness


Alloy
Annealing
(J)
(mm)
(J/mm)


















Alloy 1
850° C. 10 min
10.8
10.5
11.2
1.2
9.0
8.8
9.3



950° C. 6 hr
16.3
18.3
19.0
1.2
13.6
15.3
15.8


Alloy 2
850° C. 10 min
16.3
13.2
13.6
1.2
13.6
11.0
11.3



950° C. 6 hr
15.6
15.6
12.2
1.2
13.0
13.0
10.2


Alloy 3
850° C. 10 min
13.6
14.2
16.3
1.2
11.3
11.8
13.6



950° C. 6 hr
20.7
16.9
15.9
1.2
17.3
14.1
13.3


Alloy 4
850° C. 10 min
14.2
14.9
14.2
1.2
11.8
12.4
11.8



950° C. 6 hr
20.7
13.2
19.0
1.2
17.3
11.0
15.8


Alloy 5
850° C. 10 min
14.2
15.6
14.9
1.3
10.9
12.0
11.5



950° C. 6 hr
19.3
19.3
17.3
1.3
14.8
14.8
13.3


Alloy 6
850° C. 10 min
13.6
13.9
12.9
1.2
11.3
11.6
10.8



950° C. 6 hr
20.3
20.0
15.6
1.2
16.9
16.7
13.0


Alloy 7
850° C. 10 min
11.2
12.2
12.2
1.2
9.3
10.2
10.2



950° C. 6 hr
16.9
18.3
16.3
1.2
14.1
15.3
13.6


Alloy 8
850° C. 10 min
6.1
4.7
6.8
1.2
5.1
3.9
5.7



950° C. 6 hr
1.7
1.7
1.7
1.2
1.4
1.4
1.4


Alloy 9
850° C. 10 min
13.9
12.9
13.6
1.3
10.7
9.9
10.5



950° C. 6 hr
16.9
17.3
19.0
1.3
13.0
13.3
14.6


Alloy 10
850° C. 10 min
9.5
9.5
10.2
1.2
7.9
7.9
8.5



950° C. 6 hr
7.8
7.8
7.1
1.2
6.5
6.5
5.9


Alloy 11
850° C. 10 min
12.5
12.9
13.2
1.2
10.4
10.8
11.0



950° C. 6 hr
18.3
14.9
16.9
1.2
15.3
12.4
14.1


Alloy 12
850° C. 10 min
12.5
11.5
13.6
1.2
10.4
9.6
11.3



950° C. 6 hr
13.9
15.3
13.6
1.2
11.6
12.8
11.3


Alloy 13
850° C. 10 min
10.2
9.5
9.2
1.2
8.5
7.9
7.7



950° C. 6 hr
13.6
15.6
14.6
1.2
11.3
13.0
12.2


Alloy 14
850° C. 10 min
13.6
14.2
13.2
1.2
11.3
11.8
11.0



950° C. 6 hr
17.6
16.6
18.6
1.2
14.7
13.8
15.5


Alloy 15
850° C. 10 min
12.9
12.9
14.9
1.2
10.8
10.8
12.4



950° C. 6 hr
12.9
18.6
14.6
1.2
10.8
15.5
12.2


Alloy 16
850° C. 10 min
16.3
14.9
14.2
1.2
13.6
12.4
11.8



950° C. 6 hr
15.3
19.7
19.0
1.2
12.8
16.4
15.8


Alloy 17
850° C. 10 min
14.2
12.9
13.2
1.4
10.1
9.2
9.4



950° C. 6 hr
19.0
18.3
19.0
1.4
13.6
13.1
13.6


Alloy 18
850° C. 10 min
12.2
12.2
10.5
1.2
10.2
10.2
8.8



950° C. 6 hr
16.9
18.0
16.3
1.2
14.1
15.0
13.6


Alloy 19
850° C. 10 min
9.8
9.8
9.5
1.4
7.0
7.0
6.8



950° C. 6 hr
17.3
17.3
16.3
1.4
12.4
12.4
11.6


Alloy 20
850° C. 10 min
13.9
14.6
15.3
1.2
11.6
12.2
12.8



950° C. 6 hr
19.0
19.0
16.9
1.3
14.6
14.6
13.0


Alloy 21
850° C. 10 min
14.6
15.3
14.2
1.2
12.2
12.8
11.8



950° C. 6 hr
12.5
16.9
17.6
1.2
10.4
14.1
14.7


Alloy 22
850° C. 10 min
1.4
1.4
1.4
1.4
1.0
1.0
1.0



950° C. 6 hr
0.7
0.7
0.7
1.4
0.5
0.5
0.5


Alloy 23
850° C. 10 min
14.9
15.6
12.9
1.2
12.4
13.0
10.8



950° C. 6 hr
14.9
16.9
16.9
1.2
12.4
14.1
14.1


Alloy 24
850° C. 10 min
14.2
15.9
16.9
1.1
12.9
14.5
15.4



950° C. 6 hr
26.1
16.3
17.6
1.2
21.8
13.6
14.7


Alloy 25
850° C. 10 min
12.5
13.9
12.9
1.2
10.4
11.6
10.8



950° C. 6 hr
17.6
19.0
16.9
1.2
14.7
15.8
14.1


Alloy 26
850° C. 10 min
13.6
14.9
14.2
1.2
11.3
12.4
11.8



950° C. 6 hr
15.3
17.3
17.6
1.2
12.8
14.4
14.7


Alloy 27
850° C. 10 min
13.6
14.2
13.6
1.2
11.3
11.8
11.3



950° C. 6 hr
14.9
16.9
16.3
1.2
12.4
14.1
13.6


Alloy 28
850° C. 10 min
14.6
14.6
14.9
1.2
12.2
12.2
12.4



950° C. 6 hr
18.6
14.9
14.2
1.2
15.5
12.4
11.8


Alloy 29
850° C. 10 min
14.9
14.9
15.6
1.2
12.4
12.4
13.0



950° C. 6 hr
16.3
14.8
18.0
1.2
13.6
12.3
15.0


Alloy 30
850° C. 10 min
14.9
14.9
16.3
1.2
12.4
12.4
13.6



950° C. 6 hr
19.3
17.3
14.9
1.2
16.1
14.4
12.4


Alloy 31
850° C. 10 min
13.6
16.3
14.9
1.2
11.3
13.6
12.4



950° C. 6 hr
15.6
16.3
14.9
1.2
13.0
13.6
12.4


Alloy 32
850° C. 10 min
8.1
8.5
8.1
1.2
6.8
7.1
6.8



950° C. 6 hr
16.3
17.3
16.3
1.2
13.6
14.4
13.6


Alloy 33
850° C. 10 min
10.2
10.5
8.5
1.2
8.5
8.8
7.1



950° C. 6 hr
13.9
14.2
13.6
1.2
11.6
11.8
11.3


Alloy 34
850° C. 10 min
5.4
5.4
5.4
1.2
4.5
4.5
4.5



950° C. 6 hr
10.8
10.8
11.2
1.2
9.0
9.0
9.3


Alloy 35
850° C. 10 min
13.2
12.9
13.6
1.2
11.0
10.8
11.3



950° C. 6 hr
13.9
15.3
13.2
1.2
11.6
12.8
11.0


Alloy 36
850° C. 10 min
9.5
11.2
9.5
1.2
7.9
9.3
7.9



950° C. 6 hr
13.2
11.5
13.9
1.2
11.0
9.6
11.6


Alloy 37
850° C. 10 min
12.5
11.9
12.5
1.2
10.4
9.9
10.4



950° C. 6 hr
11.5
15.3
13.6
1.2
9.6
12.8
11.3


Alloy 38
850° C. 10 min
11.6
10.2
9.9
1.2
9.4
8.2
8.1



950° C. 6 hr
14.0
13.3
13.5
1.2
11.7
11.5
10.9


Alloy 39
850° C. 10 min
13.3
11.3
12.1
1.2
10.9
9.3
9.9



950° C. 6 hr
13.5
13.3
15.5
1.2
11.8
11.1
13.2


Alloy 40
850° C. 10 min
11.3
11.6
10.5
1.2
9.5
10.0
8.8



950° C. 6 hr
13.8
12.4
11.6
1.2
11.9
11.0
9.7









Bulk fracture samples have 45 mm long by 2 mm wide parallel region between two wedge shaped grips designed to be clamped into a cutout in the anvil. An example of the specimen before testing and its schematic illustration are shown in FIG. 5. The grips of bulk fracture samples are placed in a cutout in the anvil of the Instron SI-1B Pendulum Impact Tester and a screw is tightened down on the grips to constrain the sample in the anvil. The arm of the Impact Tester is set to the high latch position with 26.6 lb weights configured for indicating dial maximum reading of 120 ft-lb (162.7 J). The latch is released and the reading of energy absorbed by the sample is recorded. That value is converted to joules.


Testing results are shown in Table 8. Absorbed energy values during bulk fracture testing of alloys herein are in a range from 5.8 to 75.2 J for the cold rolled and annealed sheet with thickness of 1.1 to 1.4 mm. Thickness normalized values of bulk fracture toughness vary from 4.1 to 53.7 J/mm. Note that the Table 8 properties correspond to Step 2 in FIG. 2.









TABLE 8







Bulk Fracture Testing Data (1.1 to 1.4 mm Thickness)















Thickness Normalized




Bulk Fracture

Bulk Fracture




Toughness
Thickness
Toughness


Alloy
Annealing
(J)
(mm)
(J/mm)


















Alloy 1
850° C. 10 min
41.7
43.4
43.7
1.2
34.8
36.2
36.4



950° C. 6 hr
54.6
53.2
52.9
1.2
45.5
44.3
44.1


Alloy 2
850° C. 10 min
33.6
34.6
35.6
1.1
30.5
31.5
32.4



950° C. 6 hr
44.1
43.0
44.1
1.1
40.1
39.1
40.1


Alloy 3
850° C. 10 min
42.7
43.0
42.7
1.2
35.6
35.8
35.6



950° C. 6 hr
47.5
50.8
52.2
1.2
39.6
42.3
43.5


Alloy 4
850° C. 10 min
38.0
37.3
38.0
1.2
31.7
31.1
31.7



950° C. 6 hr
49.1
48.1
47.5
1.2
40.9
40.1
39.6


Alloy 5
850° C. 10 min
38.0
37.6
36.6
1.3
29.2
28.9
28.2



950° C. 6 hr
42.7
44.1
45.1
1.3
32.8
33.9
34.7


Alloy 6
850° C. 10 min
50.2
51.9
52.2
1.2
41.8
43.3
43.5



950° C. 6 hr
50.2
51.2
51.9
1.2
41.8
42.7
43.3


Alloy 7
850° C. 10 min
53.2
54.2
54.2
1.2
44.3
45.2
45.2



950° C. 6 hr
54.9
55.9
51.9
1.2
45.8
46.6
43.3


Alloy 8
850° C. 10 min
25.8
27.1
27.5
1.2
21.5
22.6
22.9



950° C. 6 hr
19.7
19.3
20.0
1.2
16.4
16.1
16.7


Alloy 9
850° C. 10 min
59.0
59.3
57.6
1.3
45.4
45.6
44.3



950° C. 6 hr
53.6
59.0
60.0
1.3
41.2
45.4
46.2


Alloy 10
850° C. 10 min
31.9
30.5
33.9
1.2
26.6
25.4
28.3



950° C. 6 hr
54.9
56.3
55.9
1.2
45.8
46.9
46.6


Alloy 11
850° C. 10 min
55.6
53.6
55.6
1.2
46.3
44.7
46.3



950° C. 6 hr
54.2
56.3
57.6
1.2
45.2
46.9
48.0


Alloy 12
850° C. 10 min
45.8
44.7
45.4
1.2
38.2
37.3
37.8



950° C. 6 hr
46.1
45.4
44.7
1.2
38.4
37.8
37.3


Alloy 13
850° C. 10 min
54.9
54.2
55.9
1.2
45.8
45.2
46.6



950° C. 6 hr
59.7
62.4
63.7
1.2
49.8
52.0
53.1


Alloy 14
850° C. 10 min
50.8
49.1
49.5
1.2
42.3
40.9
41.3



950° C. 6 hr
51.9
52.2
52.9
1.2
43.3
43.5
44.1


Alloy 15
850° C. 10 min
49.1
50.8
48.8
1.2
40.9
42.3
40.7



950° C. 6 hr
55.6
54.9
55.6
1.2
46.3
45.8
46.3


Alloy 16
850° C. 10 min
59.0
53.9
54.2
1.2
49.2
44.9
45.2



950° C. 6 hr
50.8
54.9
56.3
1.2
42.3
45.8
46.9


Alloy 17
850° C. 10 min
67.1
61.0
61.7
1.4
47.9
43.6
44.1



950° C. 6 hr
64.4
61.0
61.7
1.4
46.0
43.6
44.1


Alloy 18
850° C. 10 min
44.7
43.4
43.4
1.2
37.3
36.2
36.2



950° C. 6 hr
46.8
45.4
43.4
1.2
39.0
37.8
36.2


Alloy 19
850° C. 10 min
59.7
60.3
60.3
1.4
42.6
43.1
43.1



950° C. 6 hr
73.2
75.2
71.9
1.4
52.3
53.7
51.4


Alloy 20
850° C. 10 min
50.8
50.2
48.4
1.2
42.3
41.8
40.3



950° C. 6 hr
53.9
52.2
54.9
1.2
44.9
43.5
45.8


Alloy 21
850° C. 10 min
46.1
43.4
44.7
1.2
38.4
36.2
37.3



950° C. 6 hr
48.1
49.5
50.2
1.2
40.1
41.3
41.8


Alloy 22
850° C. 10 min
27.8
27.1
28.5
1.4
19.9
19.4
20.4



950° C. 6 hr
5.8
6.8
8.5
1.4
4.1
4.9
6.1


Alloy 23
850° C. 10 min
50.8
52.5
55.9
1.2
42.3
43.8
46.6



950° C. 6 hr
53.6
52.2
52.2
1.2
44.7
43.5
43.5


Alloy 24
850° C. 10 min
51.2
52.2
52.9
1.2
42.7
43.5
44.1



950° C. 6 hr
55.6
56.6
55.6
1.2
46.3
47.2
46.3


Alloy 25
850° C. 10 min
55.6
54.2
52.5
1.2
46.3
45.2
43.8



950° C. 6 hr
55.6
55.6
56.3
1.2
46.3
46.3
46.9


Alloy 26
850° C. 10 min
52.2
51.5
50.8
1.2
43.5
42.9
42.3



950° C. 6 hr
54.2
53.6
52.2
1.2
45.2
44.7
43.5


Alloy 27
850° C. 10 min
51.5
50.2
50.2
1.2
42.9
41.8
41.8



950° C. 6 hr
54.2
52.9
55.6
1.2
45.2
44.1
46.3


Alloy 28
850° C. 10 min
48.8
48.1
50.8
1.2
40.7
40.1
42.3



950° C. 6 hr
54.9
49.5
52.2
1.2
45.8
41.3
43.5


Alloy 29
850° C. 10 min
54.2
54.2
57.6
1.2
45.2
45.2
48.0



950° C. 6 hr
56.6
52.5
54.6
1.2
47.2
43.8
45.5


Alloy 30
850° C. 10 min
51.5
52.2
52.2
1.2
42.9
43.5
43.5



950° C. 6 hr
56.9
55.6
54.6
1.2
47.4
46.3
45.5


Alloy 31
850° C. 10 min
49.5
50.2
49.5
1.2
41.3
41.8
41.3



950° C. 6 hr
55.6
51.9
55.6
1.2
46.3
43.3
46.3


Alloy 32
850° C. 10 min
43.0
44.7
43.4
1.2
35.8
37.3
36.2



950° C. 6 hr
54.2
53.6
54.2
1.2
45.2
44.7
45.2


Alloy 33
850° C. 10 min
40.7
37.6
41.0
1.2
33.9
31.3
34.2



950° C. 6 hr
50.2
48.8
50.2
1.2
41.8
40.7
41.8


Alloy 34
850° C. 10 min
35.9
33.2
35.3
1.2
29.9
27.7
29.4



950° C. 6 hr
49.5
50.8
47.5
1.2
41.3
42.3
39.6


Alloy 35
850° C. 10 min
43.7
44.1
42.4
1.2
36.4
36.8
35.3



950° C. 6 hr
49.5
46.8
50.2
1.2
41.3
39.0
41.8


Alloy 36
850° C. 10 min
42.0
40.3
42.0
1.2
35.0
33.6
35.0



950° C. 6 hr
47.1
43.7
43.4
1.2
39.3
36.4
36.2


Alloy 37
850° C. 10 min
58.0
54.6
56.3
1.2
48.3
45.5
46.9



950° C. 6 hr
58.3
61.0
57.6
1.2
48.6
50.8
48.0


Alloy 38
850° C. 10 min
38.0
37.9
38.5
1.21
31.2
31.0
32.3



950° C. 6 hr
40.7
38.8
38.8
1.20
33.7
32.0
32.6


Alloy 39
850° C. 10 min
38.2
38.5
38.5
1.19
31.6
32.2
33.0



950° C. 6 hr
41.6
41.3
42.9
1.20
34.8
35.1
35.3


Alloy 40
850° C. 10 min
37.3
40.4
38.8
1.18
32.4
33.6
32.4



950° C. 6 hr
38.3
40.8
39.4
1.19
32.7
34.4
32.9









Case Examples
Case Example #1 Unbroken Samples During Charpy V-Notch Testing

Charpy V-notch specimens (FIG. 4b) were cut out by wire EDM from sheet material with thickness of 1.2 mm from alloys listed in Table 9. The specimens were tested in accordance with Charpy impact testing methodology described in the Main Body of this application. Three specimens were tested for each condition from each alloy and several specimens did not break during the testing as listed in Table 9. Examples of unbroken sample after testing are shown in FIG. 6. Note that specimens are expected to fail at the stress concentration site due to the presence of the V-notch, unbroken samples were not anticipated that indicates high toughness.









TABLE 9







A Summary Of Unbroken Charpy V-Notch Specimens











Alloy
Condition
Count of Unbroken Samples







Alloy 1
950° C. 6 hr
2



Alloy 2
850° C. 10 min
3



Alloy 2
950° C. 6 hr
3



Alloy 3
850° C. 10 min
3



Alloy 3
950° C. 6 hr
3



Alloy 4
850° C. 10 min
2



Alloy 4
950° C. 6 hr
3



Alloy 5
850° C. 10 min
3



Alloy 5
950° C. 6 hr
1



Alloy 6
950° C. 6 hr
2



Alloy 7
950° C. 6 hr
1



Alloy 11
950° C. 6 hr
2



Alloy 12
950° C. 6 hr
3



Alloy 13
850° C. 6h
3



Alloy 14
950° C. 6 hr
2



Alloy 15
950° C. 6 hr
3



Alloy 15
850° C. 10 min
1



Alloy 18
950° C. 6 hr
1



Alloy 20
950° C. 6 hr
2



Alloy 21
950° C. 6 hr
3










This Case Example demonstrates that alloys herein show high toughness with a resistance to failure even in the presence of a notch.


Case Example #2 Fractography of Charpy V-Notch Specimens after Testing

Specimens from Alloy 7, Alloy 9, Alloy 19, and Alloy 20 after Charpy V-notch testing in cold rolled and annealed (850° C. for 10 min) state described in the Main Body section of this application were used for SEM analysis of the fracture surface. The Charpy V-notch testing results for these specific specimens from selected alloys are listed in Table 10. Fractured specimens from each alloy were mounted and analyzed by using a Zeiss MA-10 Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Micrographs of the fracture surface in tested specimens are shown in FIG. 7 through FIG. 10 for Alloy 7, Alloy 9, Alloy 19, and Alloy 20, respectively. Cup and cone features typical for a ductile fracture were observed in all analyzed specimens.









TABLE 10







Charpy V-Notch Toughness For Analyzed Specimens










Alloy
Charpy V-Notch Toughness (J)














Alloy 7
12.2



Alloy 9
12.9



Alloy 19
9.8



Alloy 20
15.3










This Case Example demonstrates that alloys herein undergo a ductile fracture during V-notch impact testing.


Case Example #3 Fractography of Bulk Fracture Specimens after Testing

Specimens from Alloy 7, Alloy 9, Alloy 19, and Alloy 20 after bulk fracture testing in cold rolled and annealed (850° C. for 10 min) state described in the Main Body section of this application were used for SEM analysis of the fracture surface. The bulk fracture testing results for these specific specimens from selected alloys are listed in Table 11. Fractured specimens from each alloy were mounted and analyzed by using a Zeiss MA-10 Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Micrographs of the fracture surface are shown in FIG. 11 through FIG. 14 for Alloy 7, Alloy 9, Alloy 19, and Alloy 20, respectively. Cup and cone features typical for a ductile fracture were observed in all analyzed specimens.









TABLE 11







Bulk Fracture Results










Alloy
Bulk Fracture Toughness (J)







Alloy 7
54.2



Alloy 9
59.3



Alloy 19
60.3



Alloy 20
50.8










This Case Example demonstrates that alloys herein undergo a ductile fracture during bulk fracture impact testing.


As indicated from Tables 8 and 11, the normalized bulk fracture toughness range is from 4.1 to 53.7 J/mm. From the existing data the entire range of properties expected for the alloys herein according to the methodology in FIG. 2, through the identified thickness range of 0.5 to 3.0 mm, can be identified. Increasing thickness results in increasing level of toughness and over the thickness range indicated (i.e. 0.5 to 3.0 mm), the data is estimated to be linear. The lower limit of bulk fracture toughness is identified by taking the lower limit of normalized bulk fracture toughness and multiplying it by the minimum thickness of 0.5 mm. The upper limit of bulk fracture toughness is identified by taking the upper limit of normalized bulk fracture toughness and dividing it by the maximum thickness of 3.0 mm. Thus, the range of bulk fracture toughness calculated for the alloys herein is from 2.0 to 161 J.


Case Example #4 Charpy Un-Notched Specimens Testing

Slabs with thickness of 50 mm were laboratory cast from the Alloy 7 and Alloy 9 according to the atomic ratios provided in Table 1 and laboratory processed by hot rolling to thickness of 5 and 7 mm and by subsequent cold rolling to thicknesses of 1.2 and 2.5 mm. At each listed thickness, Charpy un-notched specimens were cut from the material. Specimens that were cut from the cold rolled sheet (i.e. the 1.2 mm and 2.5 mm samples) were subsequently annealed at 950° C. for 6 hr as described in the Main Body section of the current application.


Charpy testing was done by using the Instron SI-1B Pendulum Impact Tester in accordance with the methodology described in the Main Body section of the current application. None of the tested specimens broke during the testing but bent and slip through the anvil. The recorded toughness, which corresponds to the work required to bend specimen and push it through the anvil is listed in Table 12 for both alloys. Examples of unbroken specimens after testing are shown in FIG. 15.









TABLE 12







Charpy Un-Notch Data For Selected Alloys










Alloy
Thickness (mm)
Unnotched Charpy (J)
Condition















Alloy 7
1.2
20.3
 10.8
 17.6
Annealed


Alloy 7
2.5
134.2
131.5
147.8
Annealed


Alloy 7
5.0
292.9
287.4
282.0
Hot rolled


Alloy 7
7.0
397.3


Hot rolled


Alloy 9
1.3
20.3
 23.0
 23.0
Annealed


Alloy 9
2.5
127.4
139.6
143.7
Annealed


Alloy 9
5.0
313.2
305.1
320.0
Hot rolled


Alloy 9
7.0
405.4


Hot rolled










This Case Example demonstrates high toughness of alloys herein that do not break in a case of impact testing of un-notched specimens.


Case Example #5 Charpy V-Notch Toughness as a Function of Thickness

Laboratory slabs from Alloy 7 and Alloy 9 were cast according to the atomic compositions provided in Table 1. Materials were produced at a range of thicknesses for Charpy V-notch impact testing by hot rolling, cold rolling, and annealing as previously described. The approximate thicknesses produced for testing are 1.2 mm, 2.5 mm, 5 mm, and 7 mm. For samples at thickness >2.5 mm, material was cast and hot rolled only, whereas for samples with 1.2 mm and 2.5 mm thicknesses the material was cast, hot rolled, cold rolled, and then annealed at 950° C. for 6 hr as described in the Main Body section of the current application. Charpy V-Notch specimens were cut by wire EDM from the sheet material with each thickness.


Charpy testing was done by using the Instron SI-1B Pendulum Impact Tester in accordance with the methodology described in the Main Body section of the current application. Three specimens were tested at each thickness for each alloy. The measured Charpy V-notch impact energy for Alloy 7 and Alloy 9 are provided in Table 13 and Table 14, respectively. The Charpy V-notch toughness for alloys herein was measured in a range from 16.3 to 104.4 J. Thickness normalized values of the Charpy V-notched toughness vary from 12.5 to 15.6 J/mm. Note that the Table 13 and Table 14 properties correspond to sheet produced to Step 2 in both FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, depending on thickness as noted earlier. The trend in measured Charpy V-notch toughness as a function of material thickness for the alloys is shown in FIG. 16 and FIG. 17 for Alloy 7 and Alloy 9, respectively.









TABLE 13







Measured Charpy V-notch Toughness For


Alloy 7 As A Function Of Thickness













Thickness Normalized



Thickness
Charpy V-Notch
Charpy V-Notch


Sample #
(mm)
Toughness (J)
Toughness (J/mm)













1
1.2
17.6
14.7


2
1.2
16.3
13.6


3
1.2
16.3
13.6


4
2.5
36.6
14.6


5
2.5
35.3
14.1


6
2.5
35.3
14.1


7
5.0
75.9
15.2


8
5.0
75.9
15.2


9
7.0
99.0
14.2


10
7.0
104.4 
14.9


11
7.0
97.6
13.9
















TABLE 14







Measured Charpy V-notch Toughness For


Alloy 9 As A Function Of Thickness













Thickness Normalized



Thickness
Charpy V-Notch
Charpy V-Notch


Sample
(mm)
Toughness (J)
Toughness (J/mm)













1
1.2
16.3
13.6


2
1.2
16.3
13.6


3
1.2
17.6
14.7


4
2.5
36.6
14.6


5
2.5
35.3
14.1


6
2.5
33.9
13.6


7
5.0
62.4
12.5


8
5.0
63.7
12.7


9
5.0
62.4
12.5


10
7.0
89.5
12.8


11
7.0
90.8
13.0


12
7.0
89.5
12.8









This Case Example demonstrates the trend in Charpy V-notch toughness of the alloys herein as a function of sheet thickness. Note that for alloys herein, the measured Charpy V-notch toughness increases with increasing thickness.


As indicated from Tables 7, 10, 13, and 14, the normalized Charpy V-notched toughness range is from 0.5 to 21.8 J/mm. From the existing data the entire range of properties expected for the alloys here-in according to the methodology in FIG. 2, through the identified thickness range of 0.5 to 3.0 mm, can be identified. Increasing thickness results in increasing level of toughness and over the thickness range indicated (i.e. 0.5 to 3.0 mm), the data is estimated to be linear. The lower limit of Charpy V-notched toughness is identified by taking the lower limit of normalized Charpy V-notched toughness and multiplying it by the minimum thickness of 0.5 mm. The upper limit of Charpy V-notched toughness is identified by taking the upper limit of normalized Charpy V-notched toughness and dividing it by the maximum thickness of 3.0 mm. Thus, the range of Charpy V-notched toughness calculated for the alloys herein is from 0.2 to 65.4 J.


Case Example #6 Toughness Testing of Hot Band

Slabs with thickness of 50 mm were laboratory cast from selected alloys listed in Table 16 according to the atomic ratios provided in Table 1 and laboratory processed by hot rolling. Prior to hot rolling, laboratory slabs were preheated in a Lucifer EHS3GT-B18 furnace. The furnace set point varies between 1100° C. to 1250° C., depending on alloy melting point and point in the hot rolling process, with the initial temperatures set higher to facilitate higher reductions, and later temperatures set lower to minimize surface oxidation on the hot band. The slabs were allowed to soak for 40 minutes prior to hot rolling to ensure they reach the target temperature and then pushed out of the tunnel furnace into a Fenn Model 061 2 high rolling mill. The 50 mm casts were hot rolled for 5 to 10 passes though the mill before being allowed to air cool. Final thickness of the hot band materials was from 1.8 to 2.2 mm. Specimens for Charpy V-notch testing and bulk fracture testing were cut by wire EDM from the hot band for each alloy. Charpy V-notch testing and bulk fracture testing were done using the same procedures described in the Main Body section of the current application. For each alloy, two to three specimens were tested by each method.


Charpy V-notch and bulk fracture testing results are shown in Table 15 and Table 16, respectively. Absorbed energy representing Charpy V-notch toughness of the alloys herein is in a range from 11.9 to 23.7 J for samples with thickness from 1.8 to 2.2 mm. Thickness normalized values of the Charpy V-notched toughness vary from 6.6 to 11.9 J/mm. Note that the Table 15 properties correspond sheet produced in Step 2 in FIG. 2. Bulk fracture toughness values from alloys herein were measured in a range from 16.3 to 101.7 J for samples with thickness from 1.8 to 2.2 mm. Thickness normalized values of the bulk fracture toughness vary from 8.2 to 46.5 J/mm. Note that the Table 16 properties correspond to sheet produced in Step 2 in FIG. 2.


As indicated from Tables 13, 14, and 15, the normalized Charpy V-notched toughness range is from 6.6 to 15.2 J/mm. From the existing data the entire range of properties expected for the alloys here-in according to the methodology in FIG. 1, through the identified thickness range of 1.5 to 8.0 mm, can be identified. Increasing thickness results in increasing level of toughness and over the thickness range indicated (i.e. 1.5 to 8.0 mm), the data is estimated to be linear. The lower limit of Charpy V-notched toughness is identified by taking the lower limit of normalized Charpy V-notched toughness and multiplying it by the minimum thickness of 1.5 mm. The upper limit of Charpy V-notched toughness is identified by taking the upper limit of normalized Charpy V-notched toughness and dividing it by the maximum thickness of 8.0 mm. Thus, the range of Charpy V-notched toughness calculated for the alloys herein is from 9.9 to 121.6 J.









TABLE 15







Charpy V-Notch Testing Data On ~2 mm Thick Hot Band













Thickness Normalized



Charpy V-Notch

Charpy V-Notch



Toughness
Thickness
Toughness


Alloy
(J)
(mm)
(J/mm)

















Alloy 23
20.7
21.7
21.0
2.1
9.9
10.3
10.0


Alloy 24
23.0
22.4
23.0
2.1
11.0
10.7
11.0


Alloy 25
21.0
21.4
22.4
2.0
10.5
10.7
11.2


Alloy 26
22.4
22.4
22.4
2.1
10.7
10.7
10.7


Alloy 27
21.0
22.7
21.0
2.1
10.0
10.8
10.0


Alloy 28
22.4
23.7
22.0
2.0
11.2
11.9
11.0


Alloy 29
20.3
19.7
20.3
2.0
10.2
9.9
10.2


Alloy 30
21.7
20.7
22.7
2.0
10.9
10.4
11.4


Alloy 31
21.4
21.4
21.7
2.0
10.7
10.7
10.9


Alloy 32
18.6
19.0
19.0
2.1
8.9
9.0
9.0


Alloy 33
14.6
13.6
14.9
1.9
7.7
7.2
7.8


Alloy 34
14.6
12.2
13.6
1.8
8.1
6.8
7.6


Alloy 35
15.6
14.2
14.9
1.9
8.2
7.5
7.8


Alloy 36
13.2
11.9
13.2
1.8
7.3
6.6
7.3


Alloy 37
21.0
19.7
20.0
2.0
10.5
9.9
10.0
















TABLE 16







Bulk Fracture Testing Data On ~2 mm Thick Hot Band













Thickness Normalized



Bulk Fracture

Bulk Fracture



Toughness
Thickness
Toughness


Alloy
(J)
(mm)
(J/mm)

















Alloy 8
42.7
41.4
40.3
2.2
19.4
18.8
18.3


Alloy 9
97.6
97.6
93.9
2.2
44.4
44.4
42.7


Alloy 10
91.9
98.6
93.6
2.2
41.8
44.8
42.5


Alloy 11
101.7
93.6
97.6
2.2
46.2
42.5
44.4


Alloy 12
80.0
78.6
81.3
2.1
38.1
37.4
38.7


Alloy 13
75.2
84.1
83.4
2.2
34.2
38.2
37.9


Alloy 14
80.3
85.4
82.0
2.1
38.2
40.7
39.0


Alloy 15
69.1
70.5
69.1
1.9
36.4
37.1
36.4


Alloy 16
31.9
19.7
17.6
2.0
16.0
9.9
8.8


Alloy 17
92.5
94.9
94.9
2.1
44.0
45.2
45.2


Alloy 18
83.4
86.1
84.7
2.2
37.9
39.1
38.5


Alloy 19
94.2
96.9
97.6
2.1
44.9
46.1
46.5


Alloy 20
90.2
89.5
90.5
2.2
41.0
40.7
41.1


Alloy 21
70.5
72.2
73.9
1.9
37.1
38.0
38.9


Alloy 22
16.3
23.0
27.1
2.0
8.2
11.5
13.6


Alloy 23
85.4
84.1
86.1
2.1
40.7
40.0
41.0


Alloy 24
85.1
85.4
84.7
2.1
40.5
40.7
40.3


Alloy 25
87.5
85.1
86.4
2.1
41.7
40.5
41.1


Alloy 26
90.2
90.8
87.5
2.1
43.0
43.2
41.7


Alloy 27
85.4
89.1
88.8
2.1
40.7
42.4
42.3


Alloy 28
86.1
84.7
86.4
2.0
43.1
42.4
43.2


Alloy 29
81.3
84.3
85.1
2.0
40.7
42.2
42.6


Alloy 30
86.1
82.0
84.1
2.0
43.1
41.0
42.1


Alloy 31
86.1
88.1
84.1
2.0
43.1
44.1
42.1


Alloy 32
67.5
63.0
54.9
2.1
32.1
30.0
26.1


Alloy 33
51.9
48.4
52.5
1.9
27.3
25.5
27.6


Alloy 34
51.9
51.5
50.2
1.8
28.8
28.6
27.9


Alloy 35
50.8
50.5
51.2
1.9
26.7
26.6
26.9


Alloy 36
45.4
44.7
46.4
1.8
25.2
24.8
25.8


Alloy 37
78.0
76.9
72.9
2.0
39.0
38.5
36.5









This Case Example demonstrates Charpy V-notch toughness of the alloys herein in a hot rolled condition (hot band) with a thickness more than 1.4 mm and less than or equal to 5 mm.


Case Example #7 Drop Impact Testing of Selected Alloys

Slabs with thickness of 50 mm were laboratory cast from selected alloys listed in Table 17 according to the atomic ratios provided in Table 1 and laboratory processed by hot rolling, cold rolling and annealing at 850° C. for 10 min as described in the current application. Final thickness of the cold rolled and annealed sheet was from 1.1 to 1.4 mm. Strips with 100 mm width and approximately 300 mm length were cut from the produced sheet from alloys herein.


The material being drop impact tested was clamped between two steel plates. The plate under the sample has a 50 mm diameter hole centered about the point of impact. The plate above is a square frame to prevent the material from buckling during testing. The impactor utilized for the testing was made from hardened steel having 12.7 mm in diameter with a 3.18 mm radius as shown in FIG. 18. The drop height was 1.3 m. The drop carriage traveled along two precision guide rods to maintain alignment. The weight of the drop carriage and additional weights were determined using a calibrated scale. Drop weight as variable by adding and removing weights to allow determination of a highest drop impact energy when no sheet penetration occurred, and no cracks generated during the impact. The results of the drop impact testing of the alloys herein with thickness from 1.1 to 1.4 mm are listed in Table 17 showing highest drop impact energy without penetration for each alloy representing drop impact toughness and varies from 108 to 279 J. Thickness normalized values are in a range from 92 to 234 J/mm. Note that the Table 17 properties correspond to sheet produced in Step 2 in FIG. 1.









TABLE 17







Drop Impact Testing Of Alloys In Cold Rolled And Annealed State












Highest Passing
Thickness Normalized



Thickness
Drop Impact
Drop Impact


Alloy
(mm)
Energy (J)
Toughness (J/mm)













Alloy 2
1.1
207
188.2


Alloy 3
1.2
236
196.7


Alloy 4
1.2
207
172.5


Alloy 6
1.2
266
221.7


Alloy 9
1.3
207
159.2


Alloy 10
1.2
177
147.5


Alloy 11
1.2
207
172.5


Alloy 13
1.2
221
184.2


Alloy 14
1.2
250
208.3


Alloy 15
1.2
236
196.7


Alloy 17
1.3
192
147.7


Alloy 18
1.2
177
147.5


Alloy 19
1.4
221
157.9


Alloy 20
1.2
250
208.3


Alloy 21
1.2
279
232.5


Alloy 23
1.2
207
172.5


Alloy 24
1.2
208
173.3


Alloy 25
1.2
208
173.3


Alloy 26
1.2
221
184.2


Alloy 27
1.2
236
196.7


Alloy 28
1.2
221
184.2


Alloy 29
1.2
250
208.3


Alloy 30
1.2
221
184.2


Alloy 31
1.2
236
196.7


Alloy 32
1.2
192
160.0


Alloy 33
1.2
192
160.0


Alloy 34
1.2
108
90.0


Alloy 35
1.2
221
184.2


Alloy 36
1.2
177
147.5


Alloy 37
1.2
250
208.3









This Case Example demonstrates drop impact toughness of the alloys herein in a cold rolled and annealed state with a sheet thickness equal or more than 0.5 mm and less or equal to 1.4 mm.


As indicated from Table 17, the normalized drop impact toughness range is from 90.0 to 232.5 J/mm. From the existing data the entire range of properties expected for the alloys here-in according to the methodology in FIG. 2, through the identified thickness range of 0.5 to 3.0 mm, can be identified. Increasing thickness results in increasing level of toughness and over the thickness range indicated (i.e. 0.5 to 3.0 mm), the data is estimated to be linear. The lower limit of drop impact toughness is identified by taking the lower limit of normalized drop impact toughness and multiplying it by the minimum thickness of 0.5 mm. The upper limit of drop impact toughness is identified by taking the upper limit of normalized drop impact toughness and dividing it by the maximum thickness of 3.0 mm. Thus, the range of drop impact toughness calculated for the alloys herein is from 45.0 to 696.9 J.


Case Example 8 Bulk Fracture of Alloy 24 at 4 mm Thickness

A slab of Alloy 24 was cast according to the atomic ratios provided in Table 1 and laboratory processed by hot rolling. Prior to hot rolling, the slab was preheated in a Lucifer EHS3GT-B18 furnace. The slab was allowed to soak for 40 minutes prior to hot rolling to ensure that the slab reached the target temperature. The slab was pushed out of the furnace into a Fenn Model 061 2-high rolling mill. The 50 mm slab was then hot rolled to a final thickness of approximately 4 mm. Specimens for bulk fracture testing were cut by wire-EDM from the hot band. Bulk fracture testing was performed according to the procedures described in the Main Body section of this application.


The measured bulk fracture energy is provided in Table 19. All tested samples broke and subsequently stopped the hammer. Absorbed energy for the bulk fracture specimens were all measured at 119 J. Note that these measured values are slightly less than the maximum 120 J energy for the test. An image of a tested 4 mm thick bulk fracture sample is provided in FIG. 19.









TABLE 19







Bulk Fracture Toughness Of Alloy 24 At 4 mm Thickness











Thickness Normalized



Bulk Fracture
Bulk Fracture


Sample
Toughness (J)
Toughness (J/mm)





1
119
29.8


2
119
29.9


3
119
29.9









This Case Example demonstrates that for the alloys herein, bulk fracture toughness at ≥4 mm thickness is at the limit measurable by current test equipment. The measured bulk fracture toughness is almost equal to the maximum energy that can be imparted by the hammer, thereby resulting in inaccurate measurements.


As indicated from Tables 16 and 19, the normalized bulk fracture toughness range is from 8.2 to 46.5 J/mm. Note that due to experimental capacity limitations, the maximum thickness which could be tested in this laboratory system is −4 mm. From the existing data the entire range of properties expected for the alloys herein according to the methodology in FIG. 1, through the identified thickness range of 1.5 to 8.0 mm, can be identified. Increasing thickness results in increasing level of toughness and over the thickness range indicated (i.e. 1.5 to 8.0 mm), the data is estimated to be linear. The lower limit of bulk fracture toughness is identified by taking the lower limit of normalized bulk fracture toughness and multiplying it by the minimum thickness of 1.5 mm. The upper limit of bulk fracture toughness is identified by taking the upper limit of normalized bulk fracture toughness and dividing it by the maximum thickness of 8.0 mm. Thus, the range of bulk fracture toughness calculated for the alloys herein is from 12.3 to 372 J.


Case Example 9 Drop Impact Testing of Alloy 24 at 4 mm Thickness

A slab of Alloy 24 was cast according to the atomic ratios provided in Table 1 and laboratory processed by hot rolling. Prior to hot rolling, the slab was preheated in a Lucifer EHS3GT-B18 furnace. The slab was allowed to soak for 40 minutes prior to hot rolling to ensure that the slab reached the target temperature. The slab was pushed out of the furnace into a Fenn Model 061 2-high rolling mill. The 50 mm slab was then hot rolled to a final thickness of approximately 4 mm. Drop impact testing was performed according to the procedures described in the Main Body section of this application. Total impact energy of 432 J was used which is the maximum available with this test fixture.


An image of a tested 4 mm thick drop impact sample is provided in FIG. 20 and FIG. 21. Note that the material did not rupture when impacted with 432 J. A small amount of deformation was observed in the material, as shown by the impact dimple in the sheet. This Case Example demonstrates that drop impact testing alloys herein at ≥4 mm thickness does not result in failure of the material with the maximum available impact energy.


Case Example #10 Drop Impact Testing of Selected Alloys in Hot Rolled State

Slabs were cast from alloys listed in Table 20 according to the atomic ratios provided in Table 1 and laboratory processed by hot rolling. Prior to hot rolling, the slab was preheated in a Lucifer EHS3GT-B18 furnace. The slab was allowed to soak for 40 minutes prior to hot rolling to ensure that the slab reached the target temperature. The slab was pushed out of the furnace into a Fenn Model 061 2-high rolling mill. The 50 mm slab was then hot rolled to a final thickness from 2.0 to 3.2 mm. Strips with 100 mm width and approximately 300 mm length were cut from the produced sheet from alloys herein.


The material being drop impact tested was clamped between two steel plates. The plate under the sample has a 50 mm diameter hole centered about the point of impact. The plate above is a square frame to prevent the material from buckling during testing. The impactor utilized for the testing was made from hardened steel having 12.7 mm in diameter with a 3.18 mm radius as shown in FIG. 18. The drop height was 1.3 m. The drop carriage traveled along two precision guide rods to maintain alignment. The weight of the drop carriage and additional weights were determined using a calibrated scale. Drop weight was variable by adding and removing weights to allow determination of a highest drop impact energy when no sheet penetration occurred, and no cracks generated during the impact. The results of the drop impact testing of the alloys herein with thickness from 2.0 to 3.2 mm are listed in Table 20 showing highest drop impact energy without penetration for each alloy representing drop impact toughness and varies from 157 to 481 J. Thickness normalized values are in a range from 80 to 154 J/mm. Note that the Table 20 properties correspond to sheet produced in Step 2 in FIG. 1.









TABLE 20







Drop Impact Testing Of Alloys In Hot Rolled State












Highest Passing
Thickness Normalized



Thickness
Drop Impact
Drop Impact


Alloy
(mm)
Energy (J)
Toughness (J/mm)













Alloy 02
2.0
217
111


Alloy 03
2.0
232
119


Alloy 09
2.2
262
122


Alloy 09
3.1
481
154


Alloy 11
2.2
252
111


Alloy 11
3.2
481
149


Alloy 13
2.3
217
96


Alloy 16
2.1
232
112


Alloy 16
3.1
439
142


Alloy 19
2.1
187
89


Alloy 19
3.1
394
126


Alloy 29
2.0
232
119


Alloy 36
2.0
157
80


Alloy 39
2.9
246
84









This Case Example demonstrates drop impact toughness of the alloys herein in a hot rolled state with a sheet thickness equal or more than 2.0 mm and less or equal to 3.2 mm.


As indicated from Case Examples 9 and 10, the normalized drop impact toughness range is from 80 to 154 J/mm. The maximum thickness which could be tested was ˜4 mm. From the existing data the entire range of properties expected for the alloys herein according to the methodology in FIG. 1, through the identified thickness range of 1.5 to 8.0 mm, can be identified. Increasing thickness results in increasing level of toughness and over the thickness range indicated (i.e. 1.5 to 8.0 mm), the data is estimated to be linear. The lower limit of drop impact toughness is identified by taking the lower limit of normalized drop impact toughness and multiplying it by the minimum thickness of 1.5 mm. The upper limit of drop impact toughness is identified by taking the upper limit of normalized drop impact toughness and dividing it by the maximum thickness of 8.0 mm. Thus, the range of drop impact toughness calculated for the alloys herein is from 120 J to 1232 J.

Claims
  • 1. A method to achieve a strength/ductility characteristic in a metal comprising: a. supplying a metal alloy comprising at least 70 atomic percent Fe, at least 9.0 atomic percent Mn, at least 0.4 atomic percent Al, and at least two elements selected from Cr, Si or C, melting and cooling at a rate of ≤250 K/s to a thickness of 25.0 mm to 500.0 mm;b. processing said alloy into sheet by heating and reducing said thickness to form to a thickness of 1.5 mm to 8.0 mm wherein the sheet exhibits an ultimate tensile strength (TS) of 650 MPa to 1500 MPa, a yield strength (YS) at 0.2% offset of 200 MPa to 1,000 MPa and an elongation (E) from 10% to 70%, wherein the alloy further indicates a strength ductility product (TS×E) in the range of 15,000 MPa % to 75,000 MPa %.
  • 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the alloy in (a) contains 70 to 80 at. % Fe, 9.0 to 17.0 at. % Mn, and 0.4 to 6.7 at. % Al.
  • 3. The method of claim 1 wherein Cr is selected and is present at a level of 0.2 at. % to 6.3 at. %.
  • 4. The method of claim 1 wherein Si is selected and is present at a level of 0.3 at. % to 6.3 at. %.
  • 5. The method of claim 1 wherein C is selected and is present at a level of 0.3 at. % to 2.7 at. %.
  • 6. The method of claim 1 wherein said alloy is substantially free of nickel and copper such that nickel and copper are present at a level of 0 to 5000 ppm.
  • 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the alloy in (a) indicates a solidus temperature from 1300° C. to 1450° C., a liquidus temperature from 1400° C. to 1550° C., and a liquidus to solidus gap from 30° C. to 150° C.
  • 8. The method of claim 1 wherein the alloy sheet in (b) has a density from 7.3 g/cm3 to 7.9 g/cm3.
  • 9. The method of claim 1 wherein said alloy sheet in (b) indicates an area under a stress-strain curve up to fracture in the range of from 150 to 600 N/mm2.
  • 10. The method of claim 1 wherein the alloy sheet in (b) exhibits a Charpy V-notched toughness of 10 J to 150 J.
  • 11. The method of claim 1 wherein the alloy sheet in (b) exhibits a thickness normalized Charpy V-Notched toughness from 5 to 25 J/mm.
  • 12. The method of claim 1 wherein the alloy sheet in (b) exhibits a bulk fracture toughness from 10 to 400 J.
  • 13. The method of claim 1 wherein the alloy sheet in (b) exhibits a thickness normalized bulk fracture toughness from 5 to 50 J/mm.
  • 14. The method of claim 1 wherein the alloy sheet in (b) exhibits a drop impact toughness of 100 J to 1250 J.
  • 15. The method of claim 1 wherein the alloy sheet in (b) exhibits a thickness normalized drop impact toughness from 75 J/mm to 160 J/mm.
  • 16. The method of claim 1 wherein said alloy sheet in (b) is positioned in a storage tank, freight car, or railway tank car.
  • 17. The method of claim 1 wherein said alloy sheet formed in (b) is positioned in a vehicular frame, vehicular chassis, or vehicular panel.
  • 18. A method to achieve a strength/ductility characteristic in a metal comprising: a. supplying a metal alloy comprising at least 70 atomic percent Fe, at least 9.0 atomic percent Mn, at least 0.4 atomic percent Al, and at least two elements selected from Cr, Si or C, melting and cooling at a rate of ≤250 K/s to a thickness of 25.0 mm to 500.0 mm;b. processing said alloy into sheet by heating and reducing said thickness to form to a thickness of 1.5 mm to 8.0 mm;c. processing said alloy into sheet by reducing said thickness without heating to form to a thickness of 0.5 mm to 3.0 mm wherein the sheet exhibits an ultimate tensile strength (TS) of 650 MPa to 1500 MPa, a yield strength (YS) at 0.2% offset of 200 MPa to 1000 MPa and an elongation (E) from 10.0% to 90.0%, wherein the alloy further indicates a strength ductility product (TS×E) in the range of 10,000 MPa % to 80,000 MPa %.
  • 19. The method of claim 18 wherein the alloy in (a) contains 70 to 80 at. % Fe, 9.0 to 17.0 at. % Mn, and 0.4 to 6.7 at. % Al.
  • 20. The method of claim 18 wherein Cr is selected and is present at a level of 0.2 at. % to 6.3 at. %.
  • 21. The method of claim 18 wherein Si is selected and is present at a level of 0.3 at. % to 6.3 at. %.
  • 22. The method of claim 18 wherein C is selected and is present at a level of 0.3 at. % to 2.7 at. %.
  • 23. The method of claim 18 wherein said alloy is substantially free of nickel and copper such that nickel and copper are present at a level of 0 to 5000 ppm.
  • 24. The method of claim 18 wherein the alloy in (a) indicates a solidus temperature from 1300° C. to 1450° C., a liquidus temperature from 1400° C. to 1550° C., and a liquidus to solidus gap from 30° C. to 150° C.
  • 25. The method of claim 18 wherein the alloy sheet in (b) has a density from 7.3 g/cm3 to 7.9 g/cm3.
  • 26. The method of claim 18 wherein the alloy sheet in (c) may be annealed from 600° C. up to the solidus temperature.
  • 27. The method of claim 18 wherein said alloy sheet in (c) indicates an area under a stress-strain curve up to fracture in the range of from 100 to 700 N/mm2.
  • 28. The method of claim 18 wherein the alloy sheet in (c) exhibits a Charpy V-Notched toughness of 0.5 to 75 J.
  • 29. The method of claim 18 wherein the alloy sheet in (c) exhibits a thickness normalized Charpy V-Notched toughness from 0.5 J/mm to 25 J/mm.
  • 30. The method of claim 18 wherein the impacted alloy sheet in (c) exhibits a bulk fracture toughness from 2 J to 175 J.
  • 31. The method of claim 18 wherein the alloy sheet in (c) exhibits a thickness normalized bulk fracture toughness from 1 to 60 J/mm.
  • 32. The method of claim 18 wherein the impacted alloy sheet in (c) exhibits a drop impact toughness of 40 J to 700 J.
  • 33. The method of claim 18 wherein the alloy sheet in (c) exhibits a thickness normalized drop impact toughness from 75 J/mm to 250 J/mm.
  • 34. The method of claim 18 wherein said alloy sheet in (c) is positioned in a storage tank, freight car, or railway tank car.
  • 35. The method of claim 18 wherein said alloy sheet formed in (c) is positioned in a vehicular frame, vehicular chassis, or vehicular panel.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 62/684,869 filed Jun. 14, 2018 which is fully incorporated herein by reference.

Provisional Applications (1)
Number Date Country
62684869 Jun 2018 US