A grain-oriented electrical steel sheet for a stacked transformer core. The steel sheet having a sheet thickness t, where t and an iron loss deterioration ratio obtained by subjecting the steel sheet under elliptic magnetization satisfy the following relations: (i) when t≤0.20 mm, the iron loss deterioration ratio is 85% or less; (ii) when 0.20 mm<t<0.27 mm, the iron loss deterioration ratio is 80% or less; and (iii) when 0.27 mm≤t, the iron loss deterioration ratio is 75% or less. The iron loss deterioration ratio is calculated from ((W.sub.A−W.sub.B)/W.sub.B)×100, where W.sub.A is iron loss under 50 Hz elliptic magnetization of 1.7 T in a rolling direction and 1.0 T in a direction orthogonal to the rolling direction, and W.sub.B is iron loss under 50 Hz alternating magnetization of 1.7 T in the rolling direction.

The present invention relates to the application of at least partially bainitic or interstitial martensitic heat treatments on steels, often tool steels or steels that can be used for tools. The first tranche of the heat treatment implying austenitization is applied so that the steel presents a low enough hardness to allow for advantageous shape modification, often trough machining. Thus a steel product is obtained which can be shaped with ease and whose hardness can be raised to a higher working hardness with a simple heat treatment at low temperature (below austenitization temperature).

The present invention relates to the application of at least partially bainitic or interstitial martensitic heat treatments on steels, often tool steels or steels that can be used for tools. The first tranche of the heat treatment implying austenitization is applied so that the steel presents a low enough hardness to allow for advantageous shape modification, often trough machining. Thus a steel product is obtained which can be shaped with ease and whose hardness can be raised to a higher working hardness with a simple heat treatment at low temperature (below austenitization temperature).

Provided is a method for manufacturing a grain-oriented electrical steel sheet. The method comprises: hot rolling a slab to obtain a hot rolled sheet; subjecting the hot rolled sheet to hot band annealing as necessary; subjecting the hot rolled sheet to cold rolling; subjecting the cold rolled sheet to decarburization annealing; applying an annealing separator having MgO as a main component onto a surface of the decarburization annealed sheet and subjecting the decarburization annealed sheet to final annealing to form the forsterite film; and applying an insulating coating treatment liquid onto the final annealed sheet and subjecting the final annealed sheet to flattening annealing to form a tension-applying insulating coating. A difference in total tensions between one and opposite surfaces of the sheet is less than 0.5 MPa. A difference in tensions between the forsterite films in one and opposite surfaces of the sheet is 0.5 MPa or more.

Provided is a method for manufacturing a grain-oriented electrical steel sheet. The method comprises: hot rolling a slab to obtain a hot rolled sheet; subjecting the hot rolled sheet to hot band annealing as necessary; subjecting the hot rolled sheet to cold rolling; subjecting the cold rolled sheet to decarburization annealing; applying an annealing separator having MgO as a main component onto a surface of the decarburization annealed sheet and subjecting the decarburization annealed sheet to final annealing to form the forsterite film; and applying an insulating coating treatment liquid onto the final annealed sheet and subjecting the final annealed sheet to flattening annealing to form a tension-applying insulating coating. A difference in total tensions between one and opposite surfaces of the sheet is less than 0.5 MPa. A difference in tensions between the forsterite films in one and opposite surfaces of the sheet is 0.5 MPa or more.

A cold rolled and heat treated steel sheet having a composition with the following elements, expressed in percentage by weight: 0.10%≤Carbon≤0.5%,1%≤Manganese≤3.4%, 0.5%≤Silicon≤2.5%, 0.03%≤Aluminum≤1.5%, 0%≤Sulfur≤0.003% 0.002%≤Phosphorus≤0.02%, 0%≤Nitrogen≤0.01% and can contain one or more of the following optional elements 0.05%≤Chromium≤1%, 0.001%≤Molybdenum≤0.5%, 0.001%≤Niobium≤0.1%, 0.001%≤Titanium≤0.1%, 0.01%≤Copper≤2%, 0.01%≤Nickel≤3%, 0.0001%≤Calcium≤0.005%, 0%≤Vanadium≤0.1%, 0%≤Boron≤0.003%, 0%≤Cerium≤0.1%, 0%≤Magnesium≤0.010%, 0%≤Zirconium≤0.010% the remainder composition being composed of iron and unavoidable impurities caused by processing, the microstructure of the steel sheet having in area fraction, 10 to 30% Residual Austenite, 10 to 40% Bainite, 5% to 50% Annealed Martensite, 1% to 20% Quenched Martensite and less than 30% Tempered Martensite, wherein the cumulated amounts of Bainite and Residual Austenite is more than or equal to 25%.

A cold rolled and heat treated steel sheet having a composition with the following elements, expressed in percentage by weight: 0.10%≤Carbon≤0.5%,1%≤Manganese≤3.4%, 0.5%≤Silicon≤2.5%, 0.03%≤Aluminum≤1.5%, 0%≤Sulfur≤0.003% 0.002%≤Phosphorus≤0.02%, 0%≤Nitrogen≤0.01% and can contain one or more of the following optional elements 0.05%≤Chromium≤1%, 0.001%≤Molybdenum≤0.5%, 0.001%≤Niobium≤0.1%, 0.001%≤Titanium≤0.1%, 0.01%≤Copper≤2%, 0.01%≤Nickel≤3%, 0.0001%≤Calcium≤0.005%, 0%≤Vanadium≤0.1%, 0%≤Boron≤0.003%, 0%≤Cerium≤0.1%, 0%≤Magnesium≤0.010%, 0%≤Zirconium≤0.010% the remainder composition being composed of iron and unavoidable impurities caused by processing, the microstructure of the steel sheet having in area fraction, 10 to 30% Residual Austenite, 10 to 40% Bainite, 5% to 50% Annealed Martensite, 1% to 20% Quenched Martensite and less than 30% Tempered Martensite, wherein the cumulated amounts of Bainite and Residual Austenite is more than or equal to 25%.

Disclosed is a hot-rolled steel strip having a tensile strength greater than 875 MPa and containing in mass-%: C 0.06-0.12, Si 0-0.5, Mn 0.70-2.20, Nb 0.005-0.100, Ti 0.01-0.10, V 0.11-0.40, whereby the total amount of V+Nb+Ti is 0.20-0.40 Al 0.005-0.150, B 0-0.0008, Cr 0-1.0, whereby the total amount of Mn+Cr is 0.9-2.5, Mo 0-0.5, Cu 0-0.5, Ni 0-1.0, P 0-0.05, S 0-0.01, Zr 0-0.1 Co 0-0.1 W 0-0.1 Ca 0-0.005, N 0-0.01, balance Fe and unavoidable impurities, and having a microstructure at ¼ thickness that is: at least 90% martensite and bainite with island-shaped martensite-austenite (MA) constituents, the remainder being: less than 5% polygonal ferrite and quasi-polygonal ferrite, less than 5% pearlite, less than 5% austenite, so that the total area percentage is 100%.

Disclosed is a hot-rolled steel strip having a tensile strength greater than 875 MPa and containing in mass-%: C 0.06-0.12, Si 0-0.5, Mn 0.70-2.20, Nb 0.005-0.100, Ti 0.01-0.10, V 0.11-0.40, whereby the total amount of V+Nb+Ti is 0.20-0.40 Al 0.005-0.150, B 0-0.0008, Cr 0-1.0, whereby the total amount of Mn+Cr is 0.9-2.5, Mo 0-0.5, Cu 0-0.5, Ni 0-1.0, P 0-0.05, S 0-0.01, Zr 0-0.1 Co 0-0.1 W 0-0.1 Ca 0-0.005, N 0-0.01, balance Fe and unavoidable impurities, and having a microstructure at ¼ thickness that is: at least 90% martensite and bainite with island-shaped martensite-austenite (MA) constituents, the remainder being: less than 5% polygonal ferrite and quasi-polygonal ferrite, less than 5% pearlite, less than 5% austenite, so that the total area percentage is 100%.

A structural steel having excellent brittle crack propagation resistance, according to one aspect of the present invention, comprises, by wt %, 0.02-0.12% of C, 0.01-0.8% of Si, 1.7-2.5% of Mn, 0.005-0.5% of Al, and the balance of Fe and inevitable impurities, wherein an outer surface part and an inner center part thereof are microstructurally distinguished in the thickness direction, and the surface part comprises tempered bainite as a base structure, comprises fresh martensite as a second structure and can comprise austenite as a residual structure.