E-Thesis 45 views
Investigation into application of niobium steel grades for use in packaging materials / DANIEL VAUGHAN
Swansea University Author: DANIEL VAUGHAN
Abstract
A niobium-microalloyed steel (‘Nb-steel’) containing 0.009 wt.% Nb was investigated for suitability for use in packaging applications by comparing its performance with an existing nitrogen-microalloyed steel (‘N-steel’), which is currently used in the manufacture of high-strength, high-ductility mat...
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Swansea University, Wales, UK
2024
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| Institution: | Swansea University |
| Degree level: | Master of Research |
| Degree name: | MSc by Research |
| Supervisor: | Sackett, E, and Mainwaring, M. |
| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa68984 |
| Abstract: |
A niobium-microalloyed steel (‘Nb-steel’) containing 0.009 wt.% Nb was investigated for suitability for use in packaging applications by comparing its performance with an existing nitrogen-microalloyed steel (‘N-steel’), which is currently used in the manufacture of high-strength, high-ductility material for can-end applications.A Gleeble 3500 was used to evaluate the suitability of the Nb-steel by simulating industrial annealing cycles. The performance of the resultant material was assessed using tensile and hardness measurements. Grain size data was also obtained using optical microscopy. It was found that when heat treated using the standard industrial annealing cycle for the N-steel (involving being held at a soak temperature of 635 °C for 50 s), the Nb-steel did not undergo complete recrystallisation and grain growth. Therefore it was not possible to produce suitable packaging material from the Nb- steel using this cycle.When heat treated using annealing cycles involving being held at a higher soak temperature for a longer period (for example, at 680 °C for 100 s), it was found that the Nb-steel underwent significant recrystallisation and grain growth, and exhibited mechanical properties similar to those of the conventional N-steel. Therefore, it was possible to produce suitable packaging material from the Nb-steel using these cycles.Although it was possible to produce packaging material from Nb-steel utilising increased temperature and longer annealing cycles, these cycles would significantly reduce the efficiency of the industrial annealing process lines and therefore the use of this Nb-steel is not currently a financially viable alternative to N-steel for use in packaging applications. |
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| Item Description: |
A selection of content is redacted or is partially redacted from this thesis to protect sensitive and personal information. |
| Keywords: |
packaging steel, niobium steel, annealing, heat treatment |
| College: |
Faculty of Science and Engineering |
| Funders: |
Tata Steel UK, M2A |