On the susceptibility of various steels to embrittlement under the action of copper melts

The susceptibility of various steels (08KP, St3, 08Yu, 17G2SF, Kh25T, stainless 1Kh18N10T) to embrittlement in the presence of copper melts is studied using hot-tensile tests at 1150 deg C. It is shown that ferritic and austenitic steels embrittle lesser under the effect of copper than carbon and alloy structural steels, undergoing γ→α-transformations on heating and cooling. The degree of steel embrittlement increases with the temperature and grain size. The protection of a die surface with slag skull or its aluminizing are recommended to reduce cracking in a continuous cast billet. Besides, modifying and microalloying of steels must be used to improve the grain boundary strength and grain fineness