The influence of Ti on the behavior of hot ductility was examined in four different Ti-containing micro-alloyed steels with a constant content of Nb. Thermomechanical investigations using a dilatometer were carried out to simulate the conditions during casting and cooling in the strand of a continuous caster with temperatures in the range of 650-1100 °C, strain rates of 0.01 s-1 and 0.001 s-1, and reheating rates between 60 and 180 Kmin-1. To understand the fracture mechanism, optical (LOM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), elemental analysis via energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), MatCalc "Scheil-Guilliver" calculations, and precipitation kinetics calculations were carried out for the critical conditions, showing low hot ductility between Ar3 and Ae3 temperatures and a brittle to ductile transition temperature at 900 °C. The existence of TiNb(CN), thin ferrite formation, and grain boundary sliding (GBs) due to limited dynamic recrystallization (DRX) has been documented and discussed. As a result, the reheating rate has no sufficient effect on the ductility. The existence of Nb-rich TiNb(CN) of sizes below ~1 μm triggers brittle fracture by increasing the frequency of micro-voids around grain boundaries. It can be stated that if the conditions in the hot ductility trough are avoided, the addition of Ti and high strain support minimize the risk of crack formation.
Keywords: continuous casting; deformation-induced ferrite; hot ductility; intergranular cracking; micro-alloyed steels; transverse cracking.