Effect of Chemical Composition and Microstructure on Liquid Metal Embrittlement in Advanced High Strength Steels.

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The steelmaking and automotive industries are key players in the drive to reduce greenhouse emissions and protect the environment. The development of advanced high strength steels is one of the most promising approaches for reducing vehicle weight and improving fuel efficiency. As steel producers strive to produce these new grades of steels, they are faced with a number of new challenges. Exposed automotive components are typically galvanized (Zn-coated) in order to protect them from corrosion. When Zn-coated, high-strength steels are spot welded on the assembly line, the heat generated during spot welding results in the formation of liquid Zn. The liquid penetrates along grain-boundaries within the steel and this ultimately results in formation of surface cracks. The goal of this project is to provide a tool/model that could be used by the industry partner (ArcelorMittal Dofasco) to predict the susceptibility of new steel grades to cracking during Resistive Spot Welding (RSW). In this way, the computability of the steel with the RSW process can be taken into account during the initial design stages, thus avoiding the need for costly modifications of the steel chemistry/microstructure during the final testing stages of the product. The grant will train one graduate student and a Research Associate in an area of great importance to the Canadian economy. The HQP will spend a significant portion of their time at the industrial partner's facilities in Hamilton, ON and East Chicago, IN in order to become familiar with both the industrial and academic aspects of the project.