HOT ROLLED STEEL SHEET, STEEL FORGED PART AND PRODUCTION METHOD THEREFOR

Abstract

A hot rolled steel sheet having a chemical composition consisting of, in mass %, C: 0.020-0.070%, Si: 0.05-1.70%, Mn: 0.60-2.50%, Al: 0.005-0.020%, N: >0.0030-0.0060%, P0.050%, S0.005%, Ti: 0.015-0.170%, Nb: 0-0.100%, V: 0-0.300%, Cu: 0-2.00%, Ni: 0-2.00%, Cr: 0-2.00%, Mo: 0-1.00%, B: 0-0.0100%, Ca: 0-0.0100%, Mg: 0-0.0100%, REM: 0-0.1000%, Zr: 0-1.000%, Co: 0-1.000%, Zn: 0-1.000%, W: 0-1.000%, Sn: 0-0.050%, the balance: Fe and impurities, wherein Ca+Mg+REM0.0005, a metal microstructure includes, in area %, ferrite: 5-70%, bainite: 30-95%, retained 2%, martensite 2%, pearlite 1%, ferrite+bainite95%, a number density of the precipitates in ferrite grains is 1.010.sup.16-50.010.sup.16/cm.sup.3, an average circle-equivalent diameter of the TiN precipitates in the steel sheet is 1.0-10.0 m, an average of minimum distances between adjacent TiN precipitates is 10.0 m or more, and a standard deviation of nano hardness is 1.00 GPa or less.

Claims

1. A hot rolled steel sheet having a chemical composition consisting of, in mass %, C: 0.020 to 0.070%, Si: 0.05 to 1.70%, Mn: 0.60 to 2.50%, Al: 0.005 to 0.020%, N: more than 0.0030% to 0.0060% or less, P: 0.050% or less, S: 0.005% or less, Ti: 0.015 to 0.170%, O: 0.0010 to 0.0100%, Nb: 0 to 0.100%, V: 0 to 0.300%, Cu: 0 to 2.00%, Ni: 0 to 2.00%, Cr: 0 to 2.00%, Mo: 0 to 1.00%, B: 0 to 0.0100%, Ca: 0 to 0.0100%, Mg: 0 to 0.0100%, REM: 0 to 0.1000%, Zr: 0 to 1.000%, Co: 0 to 1.000%, Zn: 0 to 1.000%, W: 0 to 1.000%, Sn: 0 to 0.050%, and, the balance: Fe and impurities, wherein the chemical composition satisfies a formula (i) below, and when a width and a thickness of the steel sheet in a cross section perpendicular to a rolling direction of the steel sheet are defined as W and t, respectively, a metal microstructure includes, in area %, at a position W or W from an end face of the steel sheet and t or t from a surface of the steel sheet, ferrite: 5 to 70%, bainite: 30 to 95%, retained austenite: 2% or less, martensite: 2% or less, and, pearlite: 1% or less, and a total of ferrite and bainite: 95% or more, and wherein the ferrite contains precipitates including Ti in grains of the ferrite, a number density of the precipitates including Ti is 1.010.sup.16 to 50.010.sup.16/cm.sup.3, the steel sheet includes TiN precipitates, an average circle-equivalent diameter of the TiN precipitates is 1.0 to 10.0 m, an average of minimum distances between adjacent TiN precipitates is 10.0 m or more, and a standard deviation of nano hardness is 1.00 GPa or less:
Ca+Mg+REM0.0005 (i) where a symbol of an element in the above formula represents a content (in mass %) of the element in the hot rolled steel sheet and is substituted by zero when the element is not contained.

2. The hot rolled steel sheet according to claim 1, wherein an average circle-equivalent diameter of the precipitates including Ti is 1.00 to 3.00 nm.

3. The hot rolled steel sheet according to claim 1, wherein a tensile strength is 780 MPa or more, a product of a uniform elongation and a tensile strength is 7000 MPa.Math.% or more, and a product of a hole expansion ratio and a tensile strength is 50000 MPa.Math.% or more.

4. A method of producing the hot rolled steel sheet according to claim 1, comprising: after melting process, casting a slab having the chemical composition according to claim 1, and subjecting the slab to a heating process, a continuous hot rolling process, a first cooling process, a second cooling process, and a coiling process, in this order, wherein in the melting process, an Si content of molten steel is set to 0.05 to 0.20% and a dissolved oxygen concentration is set to 0.0020 to 0.0080%, then deoxidation treatment is performed, in the deoxidation treatment, Ti and thereafter Al are added, followed by one or more selected from Ca, Mg, and REM, in the heating process, the slab is heated to a temperature of SRTmin C. or more to 1260 C. or less, the SRTmin being represented by a formula (i) below, the continuous hot rolling process includes rough rolling and multi-stand finish rolling of three stands or more, an end temperature of the rough rolling is 1100 C. or more, a cumulative strain of rolling at final three stands in the multi-stand finish rolling is 0.01 to 0.10, a rolling end temperature of the multi-stand finish rolling is at a temperature of Ar.sub.3+30 C. or more, the Ar.sub.3 being determined by a formula (ii) below, in the first cooling process, cooling is started after 1.00 to 5.00 seconds after completion of the multi-stand finish rolling, the cooling is continued at an average cooling rate of 10 C./sec or more from the rolling end temperature down to a temperature range of 650 to 750 C., and thereafter the sheet is held in air for 1 to 10 seconds, in the second cooling process, after the sheet is held in air, cooling is conducted at an average cooling rate of 10 C./sec or more from a temperature range of 600 to 740 C., and in the coiling process, the sheet is coiled at a coiling temperature of 450 to 650 C.:
SRTmin=7000/{2.75log(TiC)}273 (i)
Ar.sub.3=970325C+33Si+287P+40Al92(Mn+Mo+Cu)46(Cr+Ni) (ii) where a symbol of an element in the above formula represents a content (in mass %) of the element in the hot rolled steel sheet and is substituted by zero when the element is not contained.

5. A steel forged part obtained from the hot rolled steel sheet according to claim 1.

6. A method of producing a steel forged part, wherein the hot rolled steel sheet according to claim 1 is subjected to at least forging.

7. The hot rolled steel sheet according to claim 2, wherein a tensile strength is 780 MPa or more, a product of a uniform elongation and a tensile strength is 7000 MPa.Math.% or more, and a product of a hole expansion ratio and a tensile strength is 50000 MPa.Math.% or more.

8. A steel forged part obtained from the hot rolled steel sheet according to claim 2.

9. A steel forged part obtained from the hot rolled steel sheet according to claim 3.

10. A steel forged part obtained from the hot rolled steel sheet according to claim 7.

11. A hot rolled steel sheet having a chemical composition comprising, in mass %, C: 0.020 to 0.070%, Si: 0.05 to 1.70%, Mn: 0.60 to 2.50%, Al: 0.005 to 0.020%, N: more than 0.0030% to 0.0060% or less, P: 0.050% or less, S: 0.005% or less, Ti: 0.015 to 0.170%, O: 0.0010 to 0.0100%, Nb: 0 to 0.100%, V: 0 to 0.300%, Cu: 0 to 2.00%, Ni: 0 to 2.00%, Cr: 0 to 2.00%, Mo: 0 to 1.00%, B: 0 to 0.0100%, Ca: 0 to 0.0100%, Mg: 0 to 0.0100%, REM: 0 to 0.1000%, Zr: 0 to 1.000%, Co: 0 to 1.000%, Zn: 0 to 1.000%, W: 0 to 1.000%, Sn: 0 to 0.050%, and, the balance: Fe and impurities, wherein the chemical composition satisfies a formula (i) below, and when a width and a thickness of the steel sheet in a cross section perpendicular to a rolling direction of the steel sheet are defined as W and t, respectively, a metal microstructure includes, in area %, at a position W or W from an end face of the steel sheet and t or t from a surface of the steel sheet, ferrite: 5 to 70%, bainite: 30 to 95%, retained austenite: 2% or less, martensite: 2% or less, and, pearlite: 1% or less, and a total of ferrite and bainite: 95% or more, and wherein the ferrite contains precipitates including Ti in grains of the ferrite, a number density of the precipitates including Ti is 1.010.sup.16 to 50.010.sup.16/cm.sup.3, the steel sheet includes TiN precipitates, an average circle-equivalent diameter of the TiN precipitates is 1.0 to 10.0 m, an average of minimum distances between adjacent TiN precipitates is 10.0 m or more, and a standard deviation of nano hardness is 1.00 GPa or less:
Ca+Mg+REM0.0005 (i) where a symbol of an element in the above formula represents a content (in mass %) of the element in the hot rolled steel sheet and is substituted by zero when the element is not contained.

12. A method of producing the hot rolled steel sheet according to claim 11, comprising: after melting process, casting a slab having the chemical composition according to claim 11, and subjecting the slab to a heating process, a continuous hot rolling process, a first cooling process, a second cooling process, and a coiling process, in this order, wherein in the melting process, an Si content of molten steel is set to 0.05 to 0.20% and a dissolved oxygen concentration is set to 0.0020 to 0.0080%, then deoxidation treatment is performed, in the deoxidation treatment, Ti and thereafter Al are added, followed by one or more selected from Ca, Mg, and REM, in the heating process, the slab is heated to a temperature of SRTmin C. or more to 1260 C. or less, the SRTmin being represented by a formula (i) below, the continuous hot rolling process includes rough rolling and multi-stand finish rolling of three stands or more, an end temperature of the rough rolling is 1100 C. or more, a cumulative strain of rolling at final three stands in the multi-stand finish rolling is 0.01 to 0.10, a rolling end temperature of the multi-stand finish rolling is at a temperature of Ar.sub.3+30 C. or more, the Ar.sub.3 being determined by a formula (ii) below, in the first cooling process, cooling is started after 1.00 to 5.00 seconds after completion of the multi-stand finish rolling, the cooling is continued at an average cooling rate of 10 C./sec or more from the rolling end temperature down to a temperature range of 650 to 750 C., and thereafter the sheet is held in air for 1 to 10 seconds, in the second cooling process, after the sheet is held in air, cooling is conducted at an average cooling rate of 10 C./sec or more from a temperature range of 600 to 740 C., and in the coiling process, the sheet is coiled at a coiling temperature of 450 to 650 C.:
SRTmin=7000/{2.75log(TiC)}273 (i)
Ar.sub.3=970325C+33Si+287P+40Al92(Mn+Mo+Cu)46(Cr+Ni) (ii) where a symbol of an element in the above formula represents a content (in mass %) of the element in the hot rolled steel sheet and is substituted by zero when the element is not contained.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0078] FIG. 1 shows schematic drawings illustrating a simple shear test. FIG. 1(a) illustrates a specimen for a simple shear test. FIG. 1(b) illustrates a specimen after a simple shear test.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0079] The present inventors conducted intensive studies in order to solve the above problem and obtained the following findings.

[0080] (a) Equivalent Plastic Strain

[0081] The sheet metal forging includes a strain range exceeding a rupture strain in a conventional tensile test (high strain range). Since the sheet metal forging is a composite working, it cannot be evaluated simply based on tensile test and shear test data. Accordingly, the present inventors established a new way of evaluation by introducing an equivalent plastic strain as an indicator.

[0082] The present inventors have found that the equivalent plastic strain can be used as an indicator to mixedly evaluate a tensile stress and a tensile strain at the time of rupture when a tensile test is conducted and a shearing stress and a shearing strain at the time of rupture when a shear test is conducted.

[0083] The equivalent plastic strain is converted using a relation between a shearing stress s and a shear plastic strain sp in a simple shear test into a relation between a tensile stress and a tensile strain in a uniaxial tensile test, which is different in deformation mode. Assuming an isotropic hardening rule and a plastic work conjugate relationship, a constant, conversion factor () can be used to make a conversion as in the formula below. The conversion factor () is calculated according to a method described later, and then an equivalent plastic strain is derived.

uniaxial tensile test tensile stress =simple shear test shearing stress s

uniaxial tensile test tensile strain =simple shear test shear plastic strain sp/

[0084] (b) Multi-Stage Shear Test

[0085] To determine the equivalent plastic strain, it is necessary to obtain a relation between a tensile stress and a tensile strain in a tensile test and a relation between a shearing stress and a shear strain in a shear test. However, the sheet metal forging includes deformation in a high strain range. Accordingly, when test is performed at one time in a commonly used shear test device, cracks may propagate in a specimen from a portion where the specimen is held. As a result, a test of deformation may not often be completed up to the high strain range. Therefore, there is a need for a method for reproducing a working, such as sheet metal forging, in which thinning (thickness reduction and necking) of steel sheet does not occur.

[0086] The present inventors have then chosen to divide a shear test into multiple stages, machine an initiation point of a crack in a specimen generated in a portion where the specimen is held in order to prevent the crack from propagating in the specimen after the shear test of each stage, and evaluate a test result obtained by serially connecting the shear test results. Employing the test method, it is possible to obtain the shear test results up to the high strain range and to determine a relation between a shearing stress and a shearing strain up to the high strain range.

[0087] On the other hand, a conventional tensile test method can be applied to the tensile stress and the tensile strain. For example, a JIS No. 5 specimen based on JIS Z 2241 (2011) can be used.

[0088] (c) Mechanism of Crack Generation

[0089] By employing the above-described multi-stage shear test, the evaluation method with an equivalent plastic strain, and micro-structure observations of steel sheet before and after sheet metal forging, the present inventors obtained the following findings about the mechanism of crack generation.

[0090] To attain excellent hole expandability, a microstructure made, as a primary phase, of ferrite that is precipitation strengthened with fine precipitates such as Ti and Nb (precipitation strengthened ferrite) is used for a high burring steel. On the other hand, in the case in which Ti is added, coarse TiN may be precipitated (hereafter, such precipitated TiN is also referred to simply as TiN) unless any special production method is used. This is because TiN is a highly thermally-stable compound from a thermodynamic point of view and may preferentially be crystalized or precipitated with respect to other compounds when being cast during a steel sheet production process, when heated in hot rolling, or under a high temperature condition as with the beginning of rough rolling.

[0091] TiN is hard enough to be used for cutting tools, machine parts, press tooling for plastic molding, sporting goods, coating applications for ornaments, and the like. It is known that the hardness of TiN is on the order of Hv2000 to 2300, which demonstrates that TiN is a very hard precipitate. Accordingly, under deformation in a high strain range as in the case of sheet metal forging, a void is likely to be generated at an interface between a parent phase structure and TiN due to a difference in deformability with the parent phase structure.

[0092] Due to a difference between a hard precipitate (TiN) and a reasonably soft parent phase structure (ferrite or bainite), a void (micro cavity) may be generated at an interface between the two phases. Thereafter, as strain associated with the sheet metal forging increases, the void may grow and coalesce with an adjacent void to become a crack, ending in rupture. The present inventors have then found that the crack generation can be inhibited if the void generation can be prevented and if the void can be inhibited from coalescing with an adjacent void even when the void grows. At this time, however, it is also important that intrinsic functionality as a high burring steel is left unimpaired.

[0093] The present inventors have found the followings from the findings.

[0094] (i) To limit an average diameter of TiN.

[0095] Specifically, a void may be generated at a grain boundary of TiN, which is a hard precipitate, and thus limiting an average diameter of TiN can lead to a reduction in void generation.

[0096] (ii) To limit a distance between TiN precipitates.

[0097] Specifically, a void may be generated at a grain boundary of TiN, and thus spacing the TiN precipitates apart from each other can make it difficult for voids to coalesce with each other even when the voids grow.

[0098] (iii) To reduce variation in nano hardness.

[0099] Specifically, the void generation can be reduced by reducing a difference in hardness between a hard microstructure and a soft microstructure as much as possible.

[0100] (iv) Equivalent plastic strain at the time of rupture is 0.90 (90%) or more.

[0101] It has been confirmed that when the conditions (i) to (iii) are satisfied, equivalent plastic strain at the time of rupture reaches 0.90 (90%) or more, and a certain level of workability can be secured even in a composite working such as sheet metal forging.

[0102] (d) Effective Cumulative Strain

[0103] To obtain a microstructure satisfying the above (i) to (iv), in the multi-stand finish rolling, which is conducted by continuous rolling at multiple, three stands or more (for example, 6 or 7 stands) in hot rolling, it is necessary to perform a final finish rolling such that a cumulative strain (hereafter, also referred to as effective cumulative strain) of rolling at final three stands is 0.01 to 0.10.

[0104] The effective cumulative strain is an indicator that takes into consideration grain recovery, recrystallization, and grain growth according to temperature during rolling and rolling reduction of a steel sheet by rolling. Accordingly, a constitutive equation that represents static recovery phenomena in a time lapse after rolling is used for determining the effective cumulative strain. The static recovery of grains in a time lapse after rolling is taken into consideration because energy accumulated as strain in rolled grains may be released in the static recovery due to vanishment of thermal dislocations of grains. Further, the vanishment of thermal dislocations may be affected by rolling temperature and lapsed time after rolling. Accordingly, taking the static recovery into consideration, the present inventors introduced an indicator described, as parameters, by the temperature during rolling, the rolling reduction of a steel sheet by rolling (logarithmic strain), and the lapsed time after rolling, and defined it as effective cumulative strain.

[0105] By limiting the effective cumulative strain in this way, an intended microstructure can be obtained and the variation in nano hardness can be reduced. Accordingly, the void generation is inhibited at an interface between a hard microstructure and a soft microstructure, and thus sheet metal forging does not cause cracks. Therefore, a hot rolled steel sheet with excellent sheet forgeability can be obtained.

[0106] (e) Sequential Deoxidation

[0107] To obtain TiN having an intended composition and size, it is necessary to finely disperse a complex oxide including Ca, Mg, or REM and including any one or more of Ti and Al (hereafter, also referred to simply as complex oxide) in steel during deoxidation process. The present inventors have found that this can only be achieved by sequentially adding strong deoxidizing elements in the deoxidation process.

[0108] In the sequential deoxidation, strong deoxidizing elements are added to molten steel in which a weak deoxidizing element oxide is present. The weak deoxidizing element oxide may be reduced by the strong deoxidizing elements, and thus oxygen is released at a slow supply rate and low supersaturation. As a result, an oxide generated from the added strong deoxidizing elements may be fine. The deoxidation method maximizes these effects by adding deoxidizing elements stepwise: starting from Si, which is a weak deoxidizing element, then Ti, Al, sequentially, and then Ca, Mg, or REM, which is a strong deoxidizing element.

[0109] The present invention has been made based on the above-described findings. Description will now be made as to each requirement of the present invention.

[0110] (A) Chemical Composition

[0111] The reason for limitation on each element is as follows. It is to be noted that a symbol % concerning a content in the following description represents mass %.

[0112] C: 0.020 to 0.070%

[0113] C (carbon) may bond to elements such as Nb and Ti to form a precipitate in a steel sheet and contribute to improvement in strength by precipitation strengthening. When a content of C is less than 0.020%, a sufficient effect of the action cannot be obtained. On the other hand, more than 0.070% of the content of C may cause an increase in iron-carbides, which may be an initiation point of cracking during hole expansion working, and thus the hole expansion value is degraded. Accordingly, the content of C is 0.020 to 0.070%. The content of C is preferably 0.025% or more, and more preferably 0.030% or more. In addition, the content of C is preferably 0.060% or less, and more preferably 0.050% or less.

[0114] Si: 0.05 to 1.70%

[0115] Si (silicon) has a deoxidation effect, and an effect of inhibiting precipitation of iron-carbides such as cementite in a material microstructure and contributing to improvement in ductility and hole expandability. However, when the content is excessive, ferritic transformation may be likely to occur in a high temperature range, and thus carbides including Ti may be likely to precipitate. The precipitation of carbide in a high temperature range is likely to cause variation in the amount of precipitation, resulting in material variation in strength, hole expandability, and the like. Accordingly, a content of Si is 0.05 to 1.70%.

[0116] In view of inhibiting generation of scale-based defects such as fish-scale defects and spindle-shaped scale, the content of Si is preferably 0.06% or more, and more preferably 0.08% or more. In addition, the content of Si is preferably 1.50% or less, and in view of improving chemical treatability and a corrosion resistance after painting, the content of Si is more preferably 1.00% or less.

[0117] Mn: 0.60 to 2.50%

[0118] Mn (manganese) is an element that may contribute to improvement in strengthening and hardenability of ferrite. On the other hand, excessively contained Mn may cause unnecessarily high hardenability, which may prevent ferrite from being secured sufficiently and cause slab cracking during casting. Accordingly, a content of Mn is 0.60 to 2.50%. The content of Mn is preferably 1.00% or more, and more preferably 1.50% or more. In addition, the content of Mn is preferably 2.00% or less, and more preferably 1.80% or less.

[0119] Al: 0.005 to 0.020%

[0120] Al (aluminum) has a deoxidation effect and an effect of generating ferrite, as with Si. On the other hand, an excessive content may lead to embrittlement and be likely to cause clogging of a tundish nozzle during casting. Accordingly, a content of Al is 0.005 to 0.020%. The content of Al is preferably 0.007% or more, and more preferably 0.010% or more. In addition, the content of Al is preferably 0.018% or less, and more preferably 0.015% or less.

[0121] N: more than 0.0030% to 0.0060% or less

[0122] When excessively contained, N (nitrogen) may cause not only a decrease in ductility due to remaining dissolved nitrogen, but also a decrease in hole expandability due to precipitation of TiN, and thus the smaller the content of N is, the more preferable. However, an excessive reduction in the content of N leads to an increase in costs during smelting. In the case in which fine oxides obtained by sequential deoxidation are to be cores for precipitation of fine TiN, up to 0.0060% of the content of N is allowed. Even though fine oxides obtained by performing sequential deoxidation are utilized to produce a refining effect of TiN, TiN may be coarsened when the content of N is more than 0.0060%. In the case of a composite working such as sheet metal forging, the coarsened TiN may serve as an initiation point of a void and promote fracture.

[0123] Accordingly, the content of N is more than 0.0030% to 0.0060% or less. The content of N is preferably 0.0.0031% or more, and more preferably 0.0035% or more. In addition, to ensure that coarsening of TiN is avoided, the content of N is preferably 0.0055% or less, and more preferably 0.0050% or less.

[0124] P: 0.050% or less

[0125] P (phosphorus) is an impurity contained in molten pig iron, and since P may degrade local ductility due to grain boundary segregation and degrade weldability, a content of P is preferably as small as possible. Accordingly, the content of P is limited to 0.050% or less. The content of P is preferably 0.030% or less or 0.020% or less. It is not particularly necessary to define a lower limit, and the lower limit is 0%. However, an excessive reduction in the content of P leads to an increase in costs during smelting, and thus the lower limit may be 0.001%.

[0126] S: 0.005% or less

[0127] S (sulfur) is also an impurity contained in molten pig iron, and since S may degrade local ductility and weldability due to formation of MnS, a content of S is preferably as small as possible. Accordingly, the content of S is limited to 0.005% or less. To improve ductility and weldability, the content of S may be 0.003% or less or 0.002% or less. It is not particularly necessary to define a lower limit, and the lower limit is 0%. However, an excessive reduction in the content of S leads to an increase in costs during smelting, and thus the lower limit may be 0.0005%.

[0128] Ti: 0.015 to 0.170%

[0129] Ti (titanium) has an effect of improving low temperature toughness because carbo-nitride or dissolved Ti may cause a delay in grain growth during hot rolling and thus refine grain diameter in a hot rolled sheet. Further, Ti may be finely dispersed in ferrite as TiC, so that it contributes to strengthening of the steel sheet through precipitation strengthening. However, an excessive content may cause saturation of the effect and make TiN, which is a hard precipitate, to likely to precipitate. Accordingly, a content of Ti is 0.015 to 0.170%. The content of Ti is preferably 0.030% or more, 0.045% or more or 0.060% or more, and more preferably 0.070% or more, 0.080% or more, 0.090% or more, or 0.100% or more. In addition, the content of Ti is preferably 0.160% or less, 0.150% or less, 0.140% or less, 0.130% or less, or 0.120% or less.

[0130] O: 0.0010 to 0.0100%

[0131] O (oxygen) is an element necessary for dispersing a number of fine oxides during molten steel deoxidation, and 0.0010% or more of 0 may be contained in a final product steel in order to produce such an effect. On the other hand, more than 0.0100% of 0 content may cause not only saturation in the effect but also an increase in size and density of oxides as an impurity. In a composite working such as sheet metal forging, the oxide may serve as an initiation point of a void and promote fracture.

[0132] Accordingly, a content of 0 is 0.0010 to 0.0100%. The content of 0 is preferably 0.0030% or more, and more preferably 0.0050% or more. In addition, the content of 0 is preferably 0.0090% or less, and more preferably 0.0080% or less.

[0133] Nb: 0 to 0.100%

[0134] Nb (niobium) has an effect of improving low temperature toughness because carbo-nitride or dissolved Nb may cause a delay in grain growth during hot rolling and thus refine grain diameter in a hot rolled sheet. Further, Nb may be present as NbC, so that it contributes to strengthening of the steel sheet through precipitation strengthening. Accordingly, Nb may be contained as necessary. However, an excessive content may cause saturation of the effect, leading to a decrease in economy. Accordingly, a content of Nb is 0.100% or less. The content of Nb may be 0.080% or less, 0.060% or less, or 0.050% or less, as necessary. A lower limit of Nb is 0%. However, the lower limit may be 0.001% or 0.010% in order to produce the effect sufficiently.

[0135] V: 0 to 0.300%

[0136] V (vanadium) is an element that has an effect of improving strength of a steel sheet by precipitation strengthening or solid solution strengthening. Accordingly, V may be contained as necessary. However, an excessive content may cause saturation of the effect, leading to a decrease in economy. Accordingly, a content of V is 0.300% or less. The content of V may be 0.200% or less, 0.100% or less, or 0.060% or less, as necessary. A lower limit of Nb is 0%. However, the lower limit may be 0.001% or 0.010% in order to produce the effect sufficiently.

[0137] Cu: 0 to 2.00%

[0138] Cu (copper) is an element that has an effect of improving strength of a steel sheet by precipitation strengthening or solid solution strengthening. Accordingly, Cu may be contained as necessary. However, an excessive content may cause saturation of the effect, leading to a decrease in economy. Accordingly, a content of Cu is 2.00% or less. Further, a large amount of Cu content may cause a blemish due to a scale on a surface of the steel sheet. Accordingly, the content of Cu may be 1.20% or less, 0.80% or less, 0.50% or less, or 0.25% or less. A lower limit of Cu is 0%. However, the lower limit of Cu may be 0.01% in order to produce the effect sufficiently.

[0139] Ni: 0 to 2.00%

[0140] Ni (nickel) is an element that has an effect of improving strength of a steel sheet by solid solution strengthening. Accordingly, Ni may be contained as necessary. However, an excessive content may cause saturation of the effect, leading to a decrease in economy. Accordingly, a content of Ni is 2.00% or less. Further, a large amount of Ni content may cause degradation of ductility. Accordingly, the content of Ni may be 0.60% or less, 0.35% or less, or 0.20% or less. A lower limit of Ni is 0%. However, the lower limit of Ni may be 0.01% in order to produce the effect sufficiently.

[0141] Cr: 0 to 2.00%

[0142] Cr (chromium) is an element that has an effect of improving strength of a steel sheet by solid solution strengthening. Accordingly, Cr may be contained as necessary. However, an excessive content may cause saturation of the effect, leading to a decrease in economy. Accordingly, a content of Cr is 2.00% or less. To improve economy, an upper limit of Cr may be 1.00%, 0.60%, or 0.30%. A lower limit of Cr is 0%. However, the lower limit of Cr may be 0.01% in order to produce the effect sufficiently.

[0143] Mo: 0 to 1.00%

[0144] Mo (molybdenum) is an element that has an effect of improving strength of a steel sheet by precipitation strengthening or solid solution strengthening. Accordingly, Mo may be contained as necessary. However, an excessive content may cause saturation of the effect, leading to a decrease in economy. Accordingly, a content of Mo is 1.00% or less. To improve economy, an upper limit of Mo may be 0.60%, 0.30%, or 0.10%. A lower limit of Mo is 0%. However, the lower limit of Mo may be 0.005% or 0.01% in order to produce the effect sufficiently.

[0145] B: 0 to 0.0100%

[0146] B (boron) segregates at a grain boundary, and may increase grain boundary strength to improve low temperature toughness. Accordingly, B may be contained as necessary. However, an excessive content may cause saturation of the effect, leading to a decrease in economy. Accordingly, a content of B is 0.0100% or less. Further, B is a strong quench-hardening element, and a large amount of B content may prevent ferritic transformation from sufficiently progressing during cooling and sufficient retained austenite may not be obtained. Accordingly, a content of B may be 0.0050% or less, 0.0020% or less, or 0.0015%. A lower limit of B is 0%. However, the lower limit of B may be 0.0001% or 0.0002% in order to produce the effect sufficiently.

[0147] Ca: 0 to 0.0100%

[0148] Mg: 0 to 0.0100%

[0149] REM: 0 to 0.1000%

Ca+Mg+REM0.0005 (i)

[0150] where a symbol of an element in the above formula represents a content (in mass %) of the element in the hot rolled steel sheet of each element and is substituted by zero when the element is not contained.

[0151] Ca, Mg, and REM are strong deoxidizing elements. As described above, by adding these elements to molten steel subsequently to Ti and Al, followed by sequential deoxidation, oxides are made fine. As a result, TiN precipitated with these elements being cores is also made fine, and a high-strength hot-rolled steel sheet excellent for sheet metal forging can be obtained.

[0152] To this end, one or more selected from Ca, Mg, and REM are to be contained so that a total of the contents satisfies the above formula (i). However, when the content of Ca or Mg is more than 0.0100% or the content of REM is more than 0.1000%, not only the effect saturates, but also the size and the density of oxides containing Al or Ca increase. As a result, in a composite working such as sheet metal forging, the oxide containing Al or Ca may serve as an initiation point of a void and promote fracture.

[0153] Accordingly, contents of Ca and Mg are 0.0100% or less, a content of REM is 0.1000% or less. A total of the contents is preferably 0.0010% or more, 0.0015% or more, or 0.0020% or more. In addition, the content of each of Ca and Mg is preferably 0.0090% or less, 0.0080% or less, or 0.0070% or less. Further, the content of REM is preferably 0.0900% or less, 0.0800% or less, or 0.0700% or less.

[0154] Here, in the present invention, REM refers to a total of 17 elements of Sc, Y and lanthanoid, and the content of REM means a total content of these elements. It is to be noted that lanthanoid is industrially added in the form of a mischmetal.

[0155] Zr: 0 to 1.000%

[0156] Co: 0 to 1.000%

[0157] Zn: 0 to 1.000%

[0158] W: 0 to 1.000%

[0159] It has been confirmed that when Zr, Co, Zn, and W are each 1.000% or less, the effect of the present invention is unimpaired even if contained. An upper limit of each of them may be 0.300% or 0.10%. A total content of Zr, Co, Zn, and W is preferably 1.000% or less, or 0.100%. These elements may not necessarily be contained, and a lower limit is 0%, although the lower limit may be 0.0001% as necessary.

[0160] Sn: 0 to 0.050%

[0161] It has been confirmed that the effect of the present invention is unimpaired if a small amount of Sn (tin) is contained. However, the content of more than 0.05% may be a cause of a flaw during hot rolling. Accordingly, a content of Sn is 0.050% or less. Sn may not necessarily be contained, and a lower limit is 0%, although the lower limit may be 0.001% as necessary.

[0162] In the chemical composition of the steel sheet of the present invention, the balance is Fe and impurities.

[0163] The impurity as used herein refers to a raw material such as ore and scrap and a component contained due to various factors in production processes, and one allowed to the extent that the present invention is not adversely affected.

[0164] (B) Metal Microstructure

[0165] Description will now be made as to a metal microstructure of a steel sheet of the present invention. It is to be noted that when a width and a thickness of the steel sheet in a cross section perpendicular to a rolling direction of the steel sheet are defined as W and t, respectively, a metal microstructure in the present invention refers to a microstructure that is present at a position W or W from an end face of the steel sheet and t or t from a surface of the steel sheet. Further, a symbol % in the following description represents area %.

[0166] Precipitation strengthened ferrite: 5 to 70%

[0167] Ferrite resulting from precipitation-strengthened pro-eutectoid ferrite in which Ti carbides are finely dispersed (hereafter, also referred to as precipitation strengthened ferrite), the Ti carbides being present in the ferrite due to interphase boundary precipitation or homogeneous nucleation driven by supersaturation of the Ti carbides while fine precipitates containing Ti (carbides or the like of finely precipitated Ti, and hereafter, also referred to as fine Ti precipitates) are subjected to .fwdarw. transformation during cooling after rolling. The precipitation strengthened ferrite is a microstructure necessary for achieving both excellent uniform elongation and strength.

[0168] However, when an area fraction of precipitation strengthened ferrite is less than 5%, it is difficult to achieve both the uniform elongation and strength, while on the other hand, when it is more than 70%, local ductility is degraded even through the uniform elongation is excellent. Accordingly, the area fraction of the precipitation strengthened ferrite is 5 to 70%. In view of securing a balance between the uniform elongation and the strength, the area fraction of the precipitation strengthened ferrite is preferably 7% or more, and more preferably 10% or more. In addition, the area fraction of the precipitation strengthened ferrite is preferably 65% or less, and more preferably 60% or less.

[0169] The precipitation strengthened ferrite of the present invention as used herein refers to ferrite in which a number density of fine Ti precipitates contained in the grains is 1.010.sup.16 to 50.010.sup.16/cm.sup.3. When the number density of fine Ti precipitates contained in the ferrite grains is less than 1.010.sup.16/cm.sup.3, the effect of precipitation strengthening cannot be obtained sufficiently. On the other hand, when the number density of fine Ti precipitates is more than 50.010.sup.16/cm.sup.3, not only the strength saturates but also the ductility decreases.

[0170] In other words, the condition that the area fraction of the precipitation strengthened ferrite is 5 to 70% means that the area fraction of ferrite is 5 to 70% and the number density of fine Ti precipitates contained in the ferrite grains is 1.010.sup.16 to 50.010.sup.16/cm.sup.3.

[0171] Further, an average circle-equivalent diameter of fine Ti precipitates contained in the grains of precipitation strengthened ferrite is preferably 1.00 to 3.00 nm. This is because when the average circle-equivalent diameter of fine Ti precipitates is less than 1.00 nm, the effect of precipitation strengthening is less likely to be obtained, while on the other hand, when the precipitates are coarse grained and the average circle-equivalent diameter is more than 3.00 nm, it is difficult to secure a sufficient amount of fine Ti precipitates.

[0172] Bainite: 30 to 95%

[0173] Bainite is a microstructure necessary for balancing strength and local ductility, and has an effect of inhibiting crack propagation. However, too much bainite leads to a decrease in ferrite, and uniform elongation is significantly degraded even though local ductility is excellent. Accordingly, an area fraction of bainite is 30 to 95%. The area fraction of bainite is preferably 80% or less, and more preferably 70% or less in the case in which uniform elongation is emphasized.

[0174] Retained austenite: 2% or less

[0175] A high burring steel is characterized by presence of precipitation strengthened ferrite and bainite for securing workability as well as high strength such that both strength and workability are achieved. However, presence of thermodynamically stable retained austenite, which has not been subjected to martensitic transformation, in a steel sheet indicates that the retained austenite may have high concentration of C, and hardness of martensite generated by strain induced transformation of the retained austenite during sheet metal forging may become too high, promoting void generation. Accordingly, the amount of retained austenite is preferably as small as possible, and an area fraction of the retained austenite is 2% or less. The area fraction of the retained austenite is preferably 1.5% or less, 1% or less, or 0.5% or less. It is not particularly necessary to define a lower limit, and the lower limit is 0%, which is most preferable.

[0176] Martensite: 2% or less

[0177] A high burring steel is characterized by presence of precipitation strengthened ferrite and bainite for securing workability as well as high strength such that both strength and workability are achieved. However, when an area fraction of martensite, which is a hard microstructure, is more than 2%, a void is likely to be generated at a border between the martensite and ferrite and rupture is likely to occur as strain of a steel sheet increases by sheet metal forging. Accordingly, an area fraction of martensite is 2% or less. The area fraction of martensite is preferably 1.5% or less, 1% or less, or 0.5% or less. It is not particularly necessary to define a lower limit, and the lower limit is 0%.

[0178] Pearlite: 1% or less

[0179] Pearlite may serve as an initiation point of fracture during hole expansion, and thus an area fraction of pearlite is 1% or less. The area fraction of pearlite is preferably 0.5% or less. It is preferable to reduce the area fraction of pearlite as much as possible and the area fraction is preferably 0%.

[0180] Total of precipitation strengthened ferrite and bainite: 95% or more

[0181] A high burring steel includes precipitation strengthened ferrite providing both excellent uniform elongation and strength and bainite providing both strength and local ductility. Excellent strength, uniform elongation, and local ductility are thereby obtained. When a total area fraction of precipitation strengthened ferrite and bainite is less than 95%, these properties are degraded. Accordingly, the total area fraction of precipitation strengthened ferrite and bainite is 95% or more. The total area fraction is preferably 97% or more, and more preferably 98% or more.

[0182] Here, in the present invention, an area fraction of metal microstructures is determined as follows. A sample is taken at a position W or W from an end face of the steel sheet and t or t from a surface of the steel sheet, as described above. Then, a rolling direction cross section (so-called L-direction cross section) of the sample is observed.

[0183] Specifically, the sample is subjected to Nital etching and observed in a 300 m300 m field of view using an optical microscope after the etching. Then, a resultant microstructure photograph is subjected to image analysis to obtain an area fraction A of ferrite, an area fraction B of pearlite, and a total area fraction C of bainite, martensite, and retained austenite.

[0184] Next, the portion subjected to Nital etching is subjected to Lepera etching and observed in a 300 m300 m field of view using an optical microscope. Then, a resultant microstructure photograph is subjected to image analysis to calculate a total area fraction D of retained austenite and martensite. Further, a sample subjected to facing up to a depth of sheet thickness from a normal direction of the sheet surface is used to determine a volume ratio of the retained austenite with X-ray diffraction measurement. Since the volume ratio is substantially equal to the area fraction, the volume ratio is defined as an area fraction E of the retained austenite. An area fraction of bainite is determined from a difference between the area fraction C and the area fraction D, and an area fraction of martensite is determined from a difference between the area fraction E and the area fraction D. In this way, the area fraction of each of ferrite, bainite, martensite, retained austenite, and pearlite can be determined.

[0185] Further, an area fraction of precipitation strengthened ferrite can be obtained with Kernel Average Misorientation (KAM) method that comes with EBSP-OIM (Electron Back Scatter Diffraction Pattern-Orientation Image Microscopy).

[0186] In KAM method, averages of orientation differences among 6 adjacent pixels (first approximation) of some regular-hexagonal pixels in the measurement data, 12 pixels (second approximation) outside thereof, and 18 pixels (third approximation) further outside thereof are calculated, and each averaged value is taken as a value for the center pixel to perform calculation on each pixel. A map representing an orientation variation in grains can be created by performing the calculation such that the grain boundary is not crossed. In other words, the map represents a strain distribution based on a local orientation variation in the grains.

[0187] As an analysis condition for precipitation strengthened ferrite in the present invention, an average orientation difference is calculated between adjacent pixels in the third approximation in EBSP-OIM, and a portion with a calculated orientation difference being 1 or less is determined to be precipitation strengthened ferrite.

[0188] A temperature range in which precipitation strengthened ferrite of the present invention is generated coincides with a temperature range in which interphase boundary precipitation or homogeneous nucleation of Ti carbides occurs in the ferrite by being driven by supersaturation of the Ti carbides while the Ti carbides are subjected to .fwdarw. transformation during cooling after rolling. Since polygonal pro-eutectoid ferrite subjected to transformation at a high temperature is generated in diffusion transformation, it has a small dislocation density and less strain in grains, and thus a small inter-grain difference in crystal orientation. Accordingly, the precipitation strengthened ferrite also has a small crystal orientation difference. According to the results of various studies conducted by the present inventors so far, this is because a polygonal ferrite area fraction obtained in an optical microscope observation substantially matches with an area fraction of an area obtained when an orientation difference in the third approximation as measured with the KAM method is 1 or less.

[0189] In detail, the area fraction of precipitation strengthened ferrite was measured as follows. A sample taken in the same way as described in the microstructure observation was polished with a colloidal silica abrasive for 30 to 60 minutes, and was subjected to the EBSP measurement under the following conditions: magnification of 400, area of 160 m256 m, and a measurement step of 0.5 m. The EBSP-OIM method is constituted by a device and software, with which a sample highly inclined in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) is irradiated with an electron beam, and a high sensitivity camera is used to capture a Kikuchi pattern formed by backscattering, followed by computer image processing, so that a crystal orientation at the irradiated point is measured in a short time.

[0190] In the EBSP method, a quantitative analysis can be made on microscopic structures and crystal orientations on a bulk sample surface, the analyzable area is an area that can be observed by SEM, and the analysis can be made at a minimum resolution of 20 nm depending on the resolution of the SEM. The analysis takes several hours, and a region to be analyzed is mapped to tens of thousands of points in an equidistant grid. In a polycrystalline material, a crystal orientation distribution and a size of grain in the sample can be seen.

[0191] In this way, a portion with a calculated orientation difference in the third approximation being 1 or less was determined to be precipitation strengthened ferrite, an area of the precipitation strengthened ferrite was determined, and an area fraction of the precipitation strengthened ferrite was determined with respect to the measured area.

[0192] The observation of a fine Ti precipitate was conducted with a 3D Atom Probe Tomography as follows.

[0193] First, a needle-shaped sample is produced from a sample to be measured by cutting and electrolytic polishing, and as necessary, with the use of focused ion beam processing along with the electrolytic polishing. In the 3D Atom Probe Tomography, accumulated data can be reconstructed to determine an actual distribution of atoms in a real space. In the case of a fine Ti precipitate of a NaCl structure, since a unit cell is 4.33 angstrom, an interatomic distance between Ti and Ti was defined as 4.332=6.1 angstrom.

[0194] Then, when a plurality of Ti atoms present at a substantially same coordinate position (7 angstrom or less), it was determined that these Ti atoms are within the same precipitate. The number of Ti atoms determined to be within the same precipitate is counted, and when the number was 50 or more, the precipitate was defined as a fine Ti precipitate.

[0195] The size of the fine Ti precipitate is a circle-equivalent diameter calculated assuming that the fine Ti precipitate is spherical from the number of Ti atoms constituting the observed fine Ti precipitate and a lattice constant of the fine Ti precipitate.

[0196] How the number of Ti atoms in a fine Ti precipitate obtained in the 3D Atom Probe Tomography is used to determine a circle-equivalent diameter R of the precipitate is as follows.

[0197] Although the 3D Atom Probe Tomography is used to measure the number N of all atoms in the sample of interest, in practice, the 3D Atom Probe Tomography cannot detect the number N of all atoms in the sample of interest. Since any device has its own detection ratio a of atoms (=number of detected atoms/total number of atoms), the number N of atoms that would have been present is calculated based on an actual measured value n. Accordingly, the total number of atoms N=n/. The detection ratio a of the instrument used for measurement in the present invention was 0.35.

[0198] Next, given the number N of atoms, the circle-equivalent diameter is calculated in the following formula, assuming that 8 Ti atoms are present on the unit cell in the case of a Ti precipitate of a NaCl structure and the lattice constant a of a NaCl structure is 4.33 angstrom:

circle-equivalent diameter R={(6/8).Math.(1/).Math.N.Math.a.sup.3}.sup.(1/3)

[0199] For example, when the number of Ti is 50, the circle-equivalent diameter is calculated as substantially 1 nm. In the present invention, circle-equivalent diameters of 30 or more fine Ti precipitates are arbitrarily measured and an average thereof is determined.

[0200] The number density of fine Ti precipitates is determined with a measurement field of view being taken as a denominator and the number of the fine Ti precipitates as a numerator. In measurement of the number density, measurement was made in 5 or more fields of view, each of the field of view being 10 nm (sheet thickness direction t)40 nm (sheet width direction W)60 nm (sheet longitudinal direction L), and an average of the number densities (number of the fine Ti precipitates/cm.sup.3) was determined.

[0201] In the present invention, how TiN is present is defined as follows.

[0202] Average circle-equivalent diameter of TiN: 1.0 to 10.0 m

[0203] When TiN is large, voids present at a grain boundary are likely to coalesce with each other as strain in a steel sheet due to the sheet metal forging increases, and accordingly, the average circle-equivalent diameter of TiN is 10.0 m or less. To more reliably secure the effects, the average circle-equivalent diameter of TiN is preferably 8.0 m or less, and more preferably 5.0 m or less.

[0204] Th smaller TiN is, the more preferable it is, and thus it is not essentially necessary to define a lower limit for the average circle-equivalent diameter of TiN. However, in a TiN observation method described below, it is difficult to determine whether the object is TiN when the circle-equivalent diameter of TiN is less than 1.0 m. Accordingly, in the present invention, an object that has 1.0 m or more of the circle-equivalent diameter is to be measured as TiN. Accordingly, an average circle-equivalent diameter of TiN is 1.0 m or more.

[0205] The average circle-equivalent diameter of TiN is determined as follows. A sample is taken at a position W or W from an end face of the steel sheet and t or t from a surface of the steel sheet, as described above. Then, a rolling direction cross section (so-called L-direction cross section) of the sample is polished and observed with the sample unetched. Specifically, an optical microscope is used to capture a microstructure photograph at a magnification of 1000, and the microstructure photograph is observed visually or using an image processing device and the like.

[0206] In the microstructure photograph, circle-equivalent diameters are determined for possible TiN precipitates, and those that have 1.0 m or more of the circle-equivalent diameter are determined as TiN. Then, observation is made in 20 or more fields of view, each field of view being 60 m (rolling direction L)40 m (sheet thickness direction t), and an average of all the circle-equivalent diameters of TiN precipitates is defined as the average circle-equivalent diameter of TiN.

[0207] Average of minimum distances between adjacent TiN precipitates: 10.0 m or more

[0208] To avoid the growth of voids generated at an interface between TiN and ferrite and prevent the voids from coalescing with each other into a larger void, it is necessary to secure a certain amount of distance between TiN precipitates. Accordingly, an average of distances between adjacent TiN precipitates is 10.0 m or more.

[0209] In view of preventing crack generation due to void growth, the average is preferably 15.0 m or more, and more preferably 20.0 m or more. No upper limit is particularly defined. However, precipitation of TiN is unavoidable to some extent, and accordingly, an average of minimum distances between adjacent TiN precipitates is preferably 1000 m or less.

[0210] The average of minimum distances between adjacent TiN precipitates is determined as follows. 20 TiN precipitates are arbitrarily selected, every distances between one of the TiN precipitates and another one most adjacent to it are calculated, and an average thereof is calculated. The minimum distance between TIN precipitates is measured as with the case of the average circle-equivalent diameters.

[0211] (C) Mechanical Properties

[0212] Standard deviation of nano hardness: 1.0 GPa or less

[0213] It is possible to inhibit voids from coalescing with each other and growing into a crack by reducing a difference in deformability between a hard microstructure and a soft microstructure to reduce voids generated at an interface between the two microstructures and to create a void spacing. Accordingly, it is possible to inhibit void generation by reducing a nano hardness difference, which corresponds to the difference in deformability between a hard microstructure and a soft microstructure. In the present invention, a standard deviation of nano hardness in a sample cross section is employed as an indicator for a hardness difference between a soft microstructure and a hard microstructure.

[0214] Nano hardness can be measured with the use of, for example, TriboScope/TriboIndenter available from Hysitron. The systems can arbitrarily measure nano hardness at 100 or more points at a load of 1 mN, and calculate a standard deviation of the nano hardness from the results.

[0215] To reduce a hardness difference between a soft microstructure and a hard microstructure to inhibit void generation, a smaller standard deviation of nano hardness is preferable, and accordingly, it is 1.0 GPa or less. The standard deviation of nano hardness is preferably 0.8 GPa or less.

[0216] Tensile strength: 780 MPa or more

[0217] The steel sheet according to the present invention preferably has a tensile strength of 780 MPa or more, which is a similar level to a conventional high burring steel. It is not particularly necessary to define an upper limit to the tensile strength. However, it may be 1200 MPa, 1150 MPa, or 1000 MPa. Here, the tensile strength refers to a tensile strength in JIS Z 2241 (2011).

[0218] Product of uniform elongation and tensile strength: 7000 MPa.Math.% or more

[0219] A small uniform elongation is likely to be a cause of sheet thickness reduction due to necking during press forming, and then a cause of press cracking. To secure press formability, it is preferable to satisfy a product of a uniform elongation (u-EL) and a tensile strength (TS): TSu-EL7000 MPa %. Here, in a test defined in JIS Z 2241 (2011), the uniform elongation is represented by the following formula:

uniform elongation (u-EL)=ln(n0+1)

where in a relation between a nominal stress m and a nominal strain n, n0 is a nominal strain at a point where a value obtained by differentiating the nominal stress m with the nominal strain n is zero.

[0220] Product of hole expansion ratio and tensile strength: 50000 MPa.Math.% or more

[0221] A poor hole expandability leads to a poor material flowability during stretch flanging, and may possibly cause a cracking. To secure hole expandability, it is preferable to satisfy a product of a hole expansion ratio () and a tensile strength (TS): (TS)()50000 MPa %. Here, the hole expansion ratio (2) represents a hole expansion ratio () according to a test method in conformity with JIS Z 2256 (2010).

[0222] Equivalent plastic strain: 0.9 or more

[0223] The equivalent plastic strain is converted using a relation between a shearing stress as and a shear plastic strain sp in a simple shear test into a relation between a tensile stress and a tensile strain in a uniaxial tensile test, which is different in deformation mode, and a constant, conversion factor () is used to make a conversion, assuming an isotropic hardening rule and a plastic work conjugate relationship.

[0224] Here, the isotropic hardening rule is a work hardening rule in which it is assumed that the shape of yield curve does not change even when a strain develops (that is, it expands in a similar shape). The plastic work conjugate relationship is a relationship in which work hardening is described only as a function of a plastic work, and exhibits the same amount of work hardening given the same plastic work () regardless of the deformation mode.

[0225] A shearing stress and a shear plastic strain in a simple shear test can thereby converted into a tensile stress and a tensile strain in a uniaxial tensile test. The relation is shown below.

uniaxial tensile test tensile stress a (converted)=simple shear test shearing stress s

uniaxial tensile test tensile strains (converted)=simple shear test shear plastic strain sp/

[0226] Next, conversion factor is determined such that a relation between a shearing stress and a shear plastic strain is similar to a relation between a tensile stress and a tensile strain. For example, the conversion factor can be determined in the following procedure. First, a relation between a tensile strain (actual value) and a tensile stress (actual value) in a uniaxial tensile test is determined. Then, a relation between a shearing strain s (actual value) and a shearing stress s (actual value) in a uniaxial shear test.

[0227] Next, is changed to determine a tensile strain (converted) determined from the shearing strain s (actual value) and a tensile stress (converted) determined from the shearing stress s (actual value). Then, the tensile stress (converted) when the tensile strain (converted) is from 0.2% to uniform elongation (u-EL) is determined. At this time, an error between the tensile stress (converted) and the tensile stress (actual value) is determined, and that minimizes the error is determined with the method of least squares.

[0228] An equivalent plastic strain eq is defined as a shear plastic strain sp (rupture) at the time of rupture in a simple shear test converted, with the use of the determined , into a tensile strain in a simple tensile test.

[0229] The steel sheet according to the present invention is characterized by good workability in a high strain domain typified by sheet metal forging, and its equivalent plastic strain eq satisfies 0.50 or more. Since the equivalent plastic strain of a conventional TRIP steel at best on the order of 0.30, it has been confirmed that the steel sheet according to the present invention has a good sheet forgeability.

[0230] (D) Dimension

[0231] Sheet thickness: 1.0 to 4.0 mm

[0232] The steel sheet according to the present invention finds application primarily in automobiles and the like and the sheet thickness is ranging primarily from 1.0 to 4.0 mm. Accordingly, the range of sheet thickness may be from 1.0 to 4.0 mm, and, as necessary, a lower limit may be 1.2 mm, 1.4 mm, or 1.6 mm, and an upper limit may be 3.6 mm, 3.2 mm, or 2.8 mm.

[0233] (E) Production Method

[0234] From studies so far, the present inventors confirmed that the hot rolled steel sheet of the present invention can be produced by conducting the following production processes (a) to (f) in this order. Description will now be made as to each of the production processes in detail.

[0235] (a) Melting Process

[0236] Production methods prior to hot rolling are not particularly limited except a deoxidation method for molten steel. For such a deoxidation method, sequential deoxidation described below can be executed for controlling a composition and size of TiN. Accordingly, subsequent to melting in a blast furnace or an electric furnace, a variety of second smelting including the sequential deoxidation is executed to make an adjustment for a component composition described above. Then, methods such as general continuous casting and thin slab casting may be used to produce a slab. At this time, scrap or the like may be used as raw materials provided that the material can be controlled into the component range of the present invention.

[0237] Description will now be made as to a sequential deoxidation method in detail.

[0238] Before deoxidation, a dissolved oxygen concentration in the molten steel is first adjusted with the amount of Si, which is a weaker deoxidizing element than Ti, to bring the dissolved oxygen concentration in equilibrium with the amount of Si into 0.0020 to 0.0080%. When the dissolved oxygen concentration is less than 0.0020%, the amount of complex oxides enough to eventually make the size of nitrides including Ti smaller cannot be obtained. On the other hand, when the dissolved oxygen concentration is more than 0.0080%, generated complex oxides are coarsened, so that the effect of making the size of nitrides including Ti smaller is impaired.

[0239] At this time, when the content of Si is less than 0.05%, the dissolved oxygen concentration in equilibrium with Si reaches more than 0 0080%. On the other hand, when the content of Si is more than 0.2%, the dissolved oxygen concentration in equilibrium with Si falls less than 0.0020%. Accordingly, the content of Si at a stage preceding to deoxidation is 0.05 to 0.20%, and the dissolved oxygen concentration is 0.0020 to 0.0080%.

[0240] Next, with this dissolved oxygen concentration, Ti is added such that a final content of Ti is 0.015 to 0.170%, and immediately thereafter, Al is added such that a final content of Al is 0.005 to 0.020% to execute the deoxidation.

[0241] Over time after Ti is added, Ti oxides generated when Ti is added grow and are coagulated and coarsened, resulting in flotation. Accordingly, addition of Al is desirably done immediately after Ti is added.

[0242] When addition of Al is in such an amount that the final content of Al falls less than 0.005%, Ti oxides grow and are coagulated and coarsened, resulting in flotation. On the other hand, when addition of Al is in such an amount that the final content of Al reaches more than 0 020%, the Ti oxides may fully be reduced and eventually, the above-described complex oxides cannot sufficiently be obtained.

[0243] Subsequently, within 5 minutes after Al is added, deoxidation is executed by adding Ca, which is an even stronger deoxidizing element than Ti and Al. At this time, Ca may be added such that a final content of Ca is 0.0005 to 0.0100%. Here, when addition of Ca is in such an amount that the final content of Ca falls less than 0.0005%, the amounts of Ti, Al, Ca, or oxides thereof obtained in the sequential deoxidation are reduced, and thus the amount of TiN precipitated with those elements being as cores is reduced. Accordingly, a high-strength hot-rolled steel sheet excellent for sheet metal forging cannot be obtained.

[0244] On the other hand, addition of Ca in such an amount that the final content of Ca reaches more than 0.0100% only saturates the effect, and as the size of Ti, Al, Ca, or oxides thereof increases, the density increases accordingly. In a composite working such as sheet metal forging, the oxides containing Al or Ca may serve as an initiation point of a void and promote fracture, an upper limit of Ca is 0.0100%.

[0245] It is to be noted that Mg or REM, which are stronger deoxidizing elements than Ti and Al, may be used for deoxidation instead of Ca. Specifically, within 5 minutes after Al is added, deoxidation is executed by adding Mg, which is an even stronger deoxidizing element than Ti and Al, to the extent that a final content of Mg is 0.0005 to 0.0100%. Similarly, within 5 minutes after Al is added, deoxidation may be executed by adding REM, which is an even stronger deoxidizing element than Ti and Al, to the extent that a final content of REM is 0.0005 to 0.1000%.

[0246] Further, instead of adding Ca, Mg, and REM individually, two or more selected from Ca, Mg, and REM may be added in combination.

[0247] Specifically, within 5 minutes after Al is added, one or more selected from Ca, Mg, and REM may be added such that a final total content of Ca, Mg, and REM is 0.0005 or more, a final content of Ca and Mg is 0.0100% or less, and a final content of REM is 0.1000% or less.

[0248] (b) Heating Process

[0249] A produced slab is subjected to hot rolling into a hot rolled steel sheet. For hot rolling, the slab is heated first. In the heating process, the slab is heated to a temperature of SRTmin C. or more represented by the following formula (i), or to 1260 C. or less. In the case of continuous casting, the slab may be cooled to a low temperature, and then heated again, or may be heated subsequent to the continuous casting without cooling. Here, SRTmin refers to a solution treatment temperature of TiC.

SRTmin=7000/{2.75log(TiC)}273 (i)

[0250] where a symbol of an element in the above formula represents a content (in mass %) of the element in the hot rolled steel sheet and is substituted by zero when the element is not contained.

[0251] (c) Continuous Hot Rolling Process

[0252] After heating, the slab extracted from a heating furnace is subjected to rough rolling and subsequent multi-stand finish rolling. To avoid precipitation of precipitates including Ti, an end temperature of the rough rolling is 1100 C. or more. As described above, the multi-stand finish rolling is conducted by continuous rolling at multiple, three stands or more (for example, 6 or 7 stands). The multi-stand finish rolling is executed such that a cumulative strain (effective cumulative strain) of rolling at final three stands is 0.01 to 0.10.

[0253] As described above, the effective cumulative strain is an indicator that takes into consideration a grain size variation according to temperature during rolling and rolling reduction of a steel sheet by rolling and a grain size variation when grains statically recover in a time lapse after rolling. The effective cumulative strain (eff) can be determined in the following formula:

effective cumulative strain (eff)=i(ti, Ti) (iii)

[0254] where in the formula (iii) represents the sum for i=1 to 3. i=1, i=2, and i=3 indicate a first stand of rolling from the last in the multi-stand finish rolling (that is, final stand rolling), a second stand of rolling from the last, and a third stand of rolling from the last, respectively.

[0255] Here, for each of rolling indicated by i, i is represented by the following formula:

i(ti, Ti)=ei/exp((ti/R).sup.2/3) (iv)

where

[0256] ti: time (s) between i-th stand of rolling from the last and start of primary cooling

[0257] Ti: rolling temperature (K) of i-th stand of rolling from the last

[0258] ei: logarithmic strain when rolled at i-th stand of rolling from the last

ei=|ln{1(i-th stand entry side sheet thicknessi-th stand delivery side sheet thickness)/(i-th stand entry side sheet thickness)}|

=|ln{(i-th stand delivery side sheet thickness)/(i-th stand entry side sheet thickness)}|(v)

R=0.Math.exp(Q/(R.Math.Ti)) (vi)

0=8.4610.sup.9 (s)

[0259] Q: constant of activation energy regarding movement of dislocations in Fe=183200 (J/mol)

[0260] R: gas constant=8.314 (J/(K.Math.mol))

[0261] By the definition of the effective cumulative strain thus derived, intended microstructures are obtained and variation in nano hardness is reduced. As a result, a steel sheet with excellent sheet forgeability can be obtained, in which the void generation is inhibited at an interface between a hard microstructure and a soft microstructure and it is difficult for voids to coalesce with each other even when the voids grow, and thus sheet metal forging does not cause cracks.

[0262] An end temperature of the multi-stand finish rolling, that is, an end temperature of the continuous hot rolling process, may be satisfactory if it is Ar.sub.3 ( C.)+30 C. or more where Ar.sub.3 is determined in the following formula (ii). This is because precipitation strengthened ferrite and bainite intended in the present invention can thus be obtained.

Ar.sub.3=970325C+33Si+287P+40Al92(Mn+Mo+Cu)46(Cr+Ni) (ii)

[0263] where a symbol of an element in the above formula represents a content (in mass %) of the element in the hot rolled steel sheet and is substituted by zero when the element is not contained.

[0264] (d) First (Accelerated) Cooling Process

[0265] After the multi-stand finish rolling is completed, cooling of the resultant hot rolled steel sheet is started after 1.00 to 5.00 seconds. Then, the sheet is cooled at an average cooling rate of 10 C./sec or more from the rolling end temperature down to a temperature of 650 to 750 C., and thereafter the sheet is held in air for 1 to 10 seconds.

[0266] When the cooling is started within less than 1.00 seconds after the completion of the continuous hot rolling process, ferritic transformation is promoted and not only an intended bainite area fraction cannot be obtained in final microstructures but also the effect of the present invention cannot be obtained because of coarsened precipitates. On the other hand, when the cooling is started beyond 5.00 seconds, ferritic transformation is delayed and an intended area fraction of precipitation strengthened ferrite cannot be obtained.

[0267] Further, when the average cooling rate of the first cooling process is less than 10 C./sec, pearlite is likely to be generated. On the other hand, an upper limit of the cooling rate is not particularly limited. However, it may be 300 C./sec or less in order to avoid supercooling. Further, when a holding temperature in air is less than 650 C., bainite is likely to be generated and the bainite area fraction increases. On the other hand, when a holding temperature in air is more than 750 C., pearlite is likely to be generated.

[0268] It is to be noted that holding in air as used herein includes a hot-rolled steel sheet being subjected to air cooling or minimally limited cooling in a cooling facility, and a lower limit at this time is ideally 0 C./sec and an upper limit is 8 C./sec.

[0269] (e) Second (Accelerated) Cooling Process

[0270] After the sheet is held in air, cooling is conducted at an average cooling rate of 10 C./sec or more from a temperature range of 600 to 740 C. A cooling starting temperature less than 600 C. prevents ferritic transformation from sufficiently progressing and causes insufficient precipitation of fine Ti precipitates. On the other hand, when the cooling starting temperature is more than 740 C., ferritic transformation may excessively progress and pearlite may be generated, leading to degradation of hole expandability. In addition, fine Ti precipitates may be coarsened to reduce strength.

[0271] Further, when the average cooling rate is less than 10 C./sec, pearlite may also be generated, leading to degradation of hole expandability. An upper limit of the average cooling rate is not particularly limited. However, it may be 1000 C./sec or less because there is a concern that the steel sheet warps due to thermal strain caused by thermal deviation.

[0272] (f) Coiling Process

[0273] Thereafter, the cooled hot rolled steel sheet is coiled at a coiling temperature of 450 to 650 C. Conditions after coiling process are not particularly limited.

[0274] (F) Steel Forged Part

[0275] The hot-rolled steel sheet thus obtained has excellent sheet forgeability. Accordingly, the hot-rolled steel sheet can be forged in sheet metal forging and the like to obtain forged parts in complex shapes, which are required to have high strength that could not have been achieved in the past.

[0276] The present invention will now be specifically described with reference to an example, although the present invention is not limited to the example.

EXAMPLE 1

[0277] In deoxidation under conditions shown in Tables 2 and 3, steel, which has a chemical composition shown in Table 1, was molten into a slab. The slab was hot rolled, cooled and then coiled under the conditions shown in Tables 2 and 3 to produce a hot rolled steel sheet. Sheet thicknesses of resultant hot rolled steel sheets are shown in Tables 4 and 5.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Chemical composition (in mass %, the balance: Fe and impurities) Steel Left-hand value of type C Si Mn Al N P S Ti O Nb V Cu Ni Cr Mo B Mg Ca REM formula (i).sup. Others A 0.047 0.96 1.30 0.014 0.0049 0.008 0.003 0.149 0.0022 0.039 0.0205 0.0205 B 0.043 0.95 1.06 0.016 0.0046 0.010 0.003 0.131 0.0067 0.040 0.0009 0.0071 0.0071 C 0.040 0.05 1.54 0.020 0.0047 0.015 0.004 0.102 0.0036 0.015 0.12 0.0019 0.0019 D 0.064 1.23 2.43 0.018 0.0031 0.012 0.005 0.106 0.0089 0.023 0.0058 0.0055 0.0113 E 0.041 1.00 1.23 0.018 0.0035 0.009 0.003 0.091 0.0018 0.0008 0.0068 0.0516 0.0584 F 0.043 1.02 1.30 0.013 0.0040 0.015 0.004 0.108 0.0095 0.0075 0.0087 0.0162 G 0.070 0.94 1.27 0.013 0.0056 0.012 0.005 0.108 0.0085 0.0029 0.0070 0.0876 0.0975 H 0.022 1.06 1.43 0.009 0.0042 0.015 0.005 0.111 0.0030 0.0082 0.0848 0.0931 I 0.040 1.68 1.02 0.005 0.0033 0.012 0.003 0.095 0.0043 0.0018 0.0094 0.0929 0.1041 J 0.048 1.26 0.60 0.006 0.0048 0.013 0.004 0.145 0.0053 0.0092 0.0186 0.0278 K 0.049 0.92 1.09 0.011 0.0032 0.011 0.005 0.164 0.0034 0.0093 0.0070 0.0027 0.0190 L 0.063 0.93 1.48 0.006 0.0055 0.015 0.003 0.016 0.0087 0.0032 0.0018 0.0049 M 0.077* 1.06 1.22 0.015 0.0055 0.012 0.004 0.108 0.0076 0.0044 0.0613 0.0657 N 0.019* 0.98 1.27 0.016 0.0056 0.008 0.003 0.111 0.0043 0.0092 0.0909 0.1002 O 0.034 1.75* 1.31 0.008 0.0059 0.013 0.002 0.112 0.0061 0.0095 0.0039 0.0135 P 0.046 0.02* 1.30 0.006 0.0045 0.012 0.003 0.129 0.0080 0.0349 0.0349 Q 0.039 0.98 2.53* 0.010 0.0044 0.014 0.003 0.098 0.0053 0.0030 0.0030 R 0.048 1.06 0.57* 0.008 0.0054 0.015 0.001 0.126 0.0016 0.0021 0.0021 S 0.041 0.98 1.24 0.006 0.0084* 0.013 0.002 0.111 0.0032 0.0016 0.0006 0.0457 0.0478 T 0.041 0.97 1.25 0.010 0.0060 0.014 0.004 0.176* 0.0033 0.0074 0.0437 0.0511 U 0.050 1.08 1.23 0.009 0.0035 0.014 0.004 0.009* 0.0085 0.0034 0.0279 0.0313 V 0.046 0.99 1.23 0.017 0.0054 0.013 0.002 0.087 0.0078 0.080 0.0010 0.0068 0.0920 0.0998 W 0.042 1.00 1.31 0.020 0.0043 0.014 0.004 0.099 0.0035 0.20 0.0094 0.0094 X 0.043 0.96 1.21 0.013 0.0033 0.014 0.004 0.100 0.0091 0.10 0.0074 0.0055 0.0602 0.0731 Y 0.032 0.99 1.28 0.013 0.0050 0.010 0.002 0.103 0.0054 0.10 0.0081 0.0981 0.1062 Z 0.035 1.06 1.33 0.007 0.0041 0.012 0.003 0.098 0.0099 0.15 0.0040 0.0072 0.0536 0.0648 a 0.036 1.05 1.30 0.005 0.0048 0.015 0.005 0.110 0.0110* 0.0014 0.0021 0.0117 0.0152 b 0.039 1.00 1.27 0.007 0.0036 0.018 0.004 0.108 0.0009* 0.0005 0.0039 0.0994 0.1038 c 0.039 1.07 1.27 0.007 0.0047 0.016 0.005 0.102 0.0091 0.0004 0.0004* d 0.040 1.06 1.24 0.005 0.0059 0.015 0.005 0.113 0.0054 0.0110* 0.0110 e 0.041 1.01 1.25 0.007 0.0033 0.018 0.004 0.112 0.0099 0.1010* 0.1010 f 0.039 1.00 1.32 0.010 0.0059 0.016 0.005 0.104 0.0019 0.0003 0.0003* g 0.036 0.99 1.33 0.008 0.0031 0.018 0.004 0.104 0.0058 0.0004 0.0004* h 0.038 1.04 1.28 0.005 0.0034 0.016 0.005 0.098 0.0018 0.0098 0.0103* 0.0056 0.0257 i 0.037 1.02 1.24 0.005 0.0034 0.016 0.005 0.098 0.0018 0.0098 0.0098 Zr: 0.001 *indicates out of the definition of the present invention .sup.Ca + Mg + REM 0.0005 . . . (i)

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Rough Melting process rolling Si content before Equilibrium dissolved Time before addition Heating End Test Steel SRTmin Ar.sub.3 addition of Ti oxygen concentration Order of adding of Al after Ti temperature temperature No. type ( C.) ( C.) (%) (%) deoxidizing elements deoxidation (min) ( C.) ( C.) 1 A 1154 870 0.17 0.0037 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.REM 1.0 1200 1120 2 A 1154 870 0.22 0.0010 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.REM 1.0 1200 1120 3 A 1154 870 0.02 0.0110 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.REM 1.0 1200 1120 4 A 1154 870 0.17 0.0037 Ti.fwdarw.REM.fwdarw.Al 1.0 1200 1120 5 A 1154 870 0.17 0.0037 Al.fwdarw.Ti.fwdarw.REM 1.0 1200 1120 6 A 1154 870 0.17 0.0037 Al.fwdarw.REM.fwdarw.Ti 1.0 1200 1120 7 A 1154 870 0.17 0.0037 REM.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Ti 1.0 1200 1120 8 A 1154 870 0.17 0.0037 REM.fwdarw.Ti.fwdarw.Al 1.0 1200 1120 9 A 1154 870 0.17 0.0037 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.REM 6.0 1200 1120 10 A 1154 870 0.17 0.0037 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.REM 0.1 1200 1120 11 A 1154 870 0.17 0.0037 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.REM 1.0 1120 1120 12 A 1154 870 0.17 0.0037 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.REM 1.0 1200 1050 13 A 1154 870 0.17 0.0037 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.REM 1.0 1200 1120 14 A 1154 870 0.17 0.0037 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.REM 1.0 1200 1120 15 A 1154 870 0.17 0.0037 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.REM 1.0 1200 1120 16 A 1154 870 0.17 0.0037 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.REM 1.0 1200 1120 17 A 1154 870 0.17 0.0037 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.REM 1.0 1200 1120 18 A 1154 870 0.17 0.0037 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.REM 1.0 1200 1120 19 A 1154 870 0.17 0.0037 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.REM 1.0 1200 1120 20 A 1154 870 0.17 0.0037 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.REM 1.0 1200 1120 21 A 1154 870 0.17 0.0037 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.REM 1.0 1200 1120 22 A 1154 870 0.17 0.0037 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.REM 1.0 1200 1120 23 A 1154 870 0.17 0.0037 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.REM 1.0 1200 1120 24 A 1154 870 0.17 0.0037 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.REM 1.0 1200 1120 25 A 1154 870 0.17 0.0037 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.REM 1.0 1200 1120 26 A 1154 870 0.17 0.0037 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.REM 1.0 1200 1120 27 A 1154 870 0.17 0.0037 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.REM 1.0 1200 1120 28 B 1127 894 0.13 0.0030 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Ca 1.0 1230 1150 29 C 1089 829 0.05 0.0077 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Mg 2.0 1230 1150 30 D 1150 771 0.05 0.0074 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Mg, REM 1.5 1230 1150 31 E 1079 881 0.06 0.0068 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Ca, REM 0.6 1230 1150 Finish rolling First cooling Air cooling Second cooling Coiling End Cumulative Time before Average Start Start Cooling Coiling Test temperature strain at final start of cooling rate temperature Time temperature rate temperature No. ( C.) three stands cooling (s) ( C./s) ( C.) (s) ( C.) ( C./s) ( C.) 1 930 0.062 1.23 44 700 2 690 14 550 2 930 0.062 1.23 44 700 2 690 14 550 3 930 0.062 1.23 44 700 2 690 14 550 4 930 0.062 1.23 44 700 2 690 14 550 5 930 0.062 1.23 44 700 2 690 14 550 6 930 0.062 1.23 44 700 2 690 14 550 7 930 0.062 1.23 44 700 2 690 14 550 8 930 0.062 1.23 44 700 2 690 14 550 9 930 0.062 1.23 44 700 2 690 14 550 10 930 0.062 1.23 44 700 2 690 14 550 11 930 0.062 1.23 44 700 2 690 14 550 12 930 0.062 1.23 44 700 2 690 14 550 13 880 0.140 1.23 34 700 2 690 14 550 14 910 0.149 1.06 47 700 2 690 16 550 15 1000 0.003 2.00 32 730 1 725 10 550 16 910 0.008 5.15 10 680 1 675 10 450 17 930 0.086 0.94 58 700 1 695 18 550 18 930 0.007 4.09 9 750 2 740 10 450 19 930 0.062 1.23 32 760 4 740 18 550 20 930 0.062 1.23 56 640 1 635 13 500 21 930 0.062 1.23 35 745 11 690 18 500 22 930 0.062 1.23 52 660 0 660 11 550 23 930 0.062 1.23 34 750 1 745 19 550 24 930 0.062 1.23 54 650 10 590 14 450 25 930 0.062 1.23 49 675 8 635 8 550 26 930 0.062 1.23 35 745 1 740 10 700 27 930 0.062 1.23 49 675 4 655 25 400 28 950 0.042 1.60 30 745 1 740 10 600 29 950 0.042 1.60 30 745 1 740 10 600 30 950 0.042 1.60 30 745 1 740 10 600 31 950 0.042 1.60 30 745 1 740 10 600 *indicates out of the definition of the present invention

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Melting process Si content before Equilibrium dissolved Time before addition Heating Test Steel SRTmin Ar.sub.3 addition of Ti oxygen concentration Order of adding of Al after Ti temperature No. type ( C.) ( C.) (%) (%) deoxidizing elements deoxidation (min) ( C.) 32 F 1104 876 0.17 0.0024 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Ca, Mg 2.0 1230 33 G 1164 866 0.13 0.0029 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Ca, Mg, REM 3.0 1230 34 H 1032 872 0.19 0.0022 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Mg, REM 2.5 1230 35 I 1081 923 0.12 0.0030 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Ca, Mg, REM 4.5 1230 36 J 1153 945 0.13 0.0031 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Ca, REM 5.0 1230 37 K 1172 888 0.10 0.0029 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Ca, Mg, REM 5.0 1230 38 L 945 849 0.11 0.0054 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Ca, Mg 22. 1230 39 M* 1176 873 0.14 0.0047 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Ca, REM 4.2 1230 40 N* 1017 883 0.13 0.0074 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Mg, REM 3.3 1230 41 O* 1081 901 0.08 0.0053 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Ca, Mg 2.1 1230 42 P* 1134 841 0.11 0.0048 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.REM 2.8 1230 43 Q* 1082 762 0.17 0.0070 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Mg 4.5 1230 44 R* 1136 942 0.10 0.0063 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Ca 3.6 1230 45 S* 1102 879 0.13 0.0070 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Ca, REM 2.7 1230 46 T* 1158 878 0.09 0.0054 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Mg, REM 0.6 1230 47 U* 875 881 0.05 0.0048 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Ca, REM 3.6 1230 48 V 1087 880 0.14 0.0075 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Ca, Mg, REM 1.0 1230 49 W 1091 856 0.20 0.0032 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Mg 4.1 1230 50 X 1095 877 0.07 0.0076 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Ca, Mg, REM 4.5 1230 51 Y 1065 874 0.09 0.0046 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Ca, REM 4.1 1230 52 Z 1069 862 0.08 0.0037 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Ca, Mg, REM 1.3 1230 53 a* 1086 878 0.08 0.0027 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Ca, Mg, REM 3.1 1230 54 b* 1093 880 0.05 0.0037 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Ca, Mg, REM 2.3 1230 55 c* 1086 881 0.07 0.0039 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Ca 1.5 1230 56 d* 1101 883 0.13 0.0037 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Mg 4.8 1230 57 e* 1103 881 0.16 0.0023 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.REM 2.9 1230 58 f* 1088 875 0.17 0.0066 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.REM 2.4 1230 59 g* 1079 875 0.14 0.0025 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Mg 1.7 1230 60 h* 1079 880 0.10 0.0059 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Ca, Mg, REM 0.7 1230 61 i 1076 883 0.07 0.0076 Ti.fwdarw.Al.fwdarw.Mg 3.9 1230 Rough rolling Finish rolling First cooling Air cooling Second cooling Coiling End End Cumulative Time before Average Start Start Cooling Coiling Test temperature temperature strain at final start of cooling rate temperature Time temperature rate temperature No. ( C.) ( C.) three stands cooling (s) ( C./s) ( C.) (s) ( C.) ( C./s) ( C.) 32 1150 950 0.042 1.60 30 745 1 740 10 600 33 1150 950 0.042 1.60 30 745 1 740 10 600 34 1150 950 0.035 1.77 27 745 1 740 11 580 35 1150 960 0.027 1.77 28 745 1 740 11 580 36 1150 980 0.016 1.77 31 745 1 740 11 580 37 1150 950 0.035 1.77 27 745 1 740 11 580 38 1150 950 0.035 1.77 27 745 1 740 11 580 39 1150 930 0.062 1.23 44 700 2 690 14 550 40 1150 930 0.062 1.23 44 700 2 690 14 550 41 1150 935 0.056 1.23 45 700 2 690 14 550 42 1150 930 0.062 1.23 44 700 2 690 14 550 43 Inapplicable to rolling due to slab cracking 44 1150 930 0.062 1.23 44 700 2 690 14 550 45 1150 930 0.062 1.23 44 700 2 690 14 550 46 1150 930 0.062 1.23 44 700 2 690 14 550 47 1150 930 0.062 1.23 44 700 2 690 14 550 48 1150 915 0.098 1.33 42 680 5 655 14 500 49 1150 915 0.098 1.33 42 680 5 655 14 500 50 1150 915 0.098 1.33 42 680 5 655 14 500 51 1150 915 0.098 1.33 42 680 5 655 14 500 52 1150 915 0.098 1.33 42 680 5 655 14 500 53 1150 915 0.098 1.33 42 680 5 655 14 500 54 1150 915 0.098 1.33 42 680 5 655 14 500 55 1150 915 0.098 1.33 42 680 5 655 14 500 56 1150 915 0.098 1.33 42 680 5 655 14 500 57 1150 915 0.098 1.33 42 680 5 655 14 500 58 1150 915 0.098 1.33 42 680 5 655 14 500 59 1150 915 0.098 1.33 42 680 5 655 14 500 60 1150 915 0.098 1.33 42 680 5 655 14 500 61 1150 915 0.098 1.33 42 680 5 655 14 500 *indicates out of the definition of the present invention

TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Metal microstructures Sheet Ferrite + TiN average TiN average Test Steel thickness Pearlite Ferrite Bainite bainite Martensite Retained circle-equivalent minimum No. type (mm) (area %) (area %) (area %) (area %) (area %) (area %) diameter (mm) distance (mm) 1 A 2.9 0 35 65 100 0 0 5.3 10.7 2 A 2.9 0 39 61 100 0 0 10.8* 12.0 3 A 2.9 0 36 64 100 0 0 4.6 8.0* 4 A 2.9 0 35 65 100 0 0 10.4* 11.0 5 A 2.9 0 38 62 100 0 0 10.2* 10.8 6 A 2.9 0 32 68 100 0 0 10.3* 11.0 7 A 2.9 0 37 63 100 0 0 11.0* 13.5 8 A 2.9 0 34 66 100 0 0 10.7* 12.6 9 A 2.9 0 36 64 100 0 0 4.0 7.5* 10 A 2.9 0 37 63 100 0 0 12.0* 13.0 11 A 2.9 0 39 61 100 0 0 9.9 10.0 12 A 2.9 0 40 60 100 0 0 8.9 10.0 13 A 2.9 0 76* 24* 100 0 0 6.4 11.4 14 A 2.9 0 79* 21* 100 0 0 6.2 10.1 15 A 2.9 0 4* 96* 100 0 0 6.3 10.2 16 A 2.9 0 5* 95* 100 0 0 6.1 10.0 17 A 2.9 0 72* 28* 100 0 0 6.2 10.3 18 A 2.9 5* 90* 5* 95 0 0 6.0 10.7 19 A 2.9 8* 90* 2* 92* 0 0 5.9 10.7 20 A 2.9 0 4* 96* 100 0 0 6.2 10.8 21 A 2.9 6* 93* 1* 94* 0 0 6.2 10.4 22 A 2.9 0 0* 98* 98 2 0 6.3 10.2 23 A 2.9 6* 89* 5* 94* 0 0 6.1 10.0 24 A 2.9 0 4* 96* 100 0 0 6.2 10.3 25 A 2.9 3* 41 56 97 0 0 6.0 10.7 26 A 2.9 4* 39 57 96 0 0 5.9 10.7 27 A 2.9 0 37 57 94* 3* 3* 6.1 10.3 28 B 3.1 0 14 86 100 0 0 5.7 10.7 29 C 3.1 0 10 90 100 0 0 5.0 11.5 30 D 3.1 0 9 91 100 0 0 5.4 12.2 31 E 3.1 0 19 81 100 0 0 5.3 13.0 Metal microstructures Average circle- Number density Nano hardness Mechanical properties equivalent diameter of microscopic Ti standard Equivalent Test of microscopic Ti precipitates deviation TS TS u-EL TS plastic No. precipitates (nm) (10.sup.16/cm.sup.3) (GPa) (MPa) (MPa %) (MPa %) strain 1 2.2 13.0 0.95 789 8087 65077 0.98 Inv. example 2 2.2 12.0 0.95 792 7849 64458 0.75 Comparative 3 2.4 10.0 0.95 791 7806 63276 0.88 example 4 2.3 11.0 0.95 790 7849 65692 0.68 5 2.1 15.0 0.95 788 8192 62024 0.62 6 2.0 18.0 0.95 788 7871 63903 0.66 7 2.1 14.0 0.95 789 7831 65500 0.68 8 2.1 13.0 0.95 791 8140 62278 0.69 9 2.0 17.0 0.95 790 7555 63947 0.88 10 2.2 13.0 0.95 791 8066 65682 0.69 11 1.0 0.5* 0.90 712 8518 68655 0.99 12 1.2 0.8* 0.91 762 7862 64928 0.98 13 3.0 4.3 1.05* 821 8834 49381 0.87 14 3.0 4.0 1.10* 781 9951 43714 0.86 15 * 0.90 843 5630 89043 0.90 16 * 0.89 838 6093 81933 0.90 17 3.0 5.0 1.03* 786 9140 40433 0.88 18 3.0 4.6 1.11* 780 4445 29544 0.85 19 2.9 5.5 1.12* 781 4824 35772 0.84 20 * 0.87 845 5705 99041 0.91 21 5.0 0.8* 1.09* 762 5615 30668 0.82 22 * 0.89 865 4583 106191 0.94 23 4.8 0.9* 1.08* 758 5638 33281 0.81 24 * 0.90 851 4730 100347 0.95 25 4.0 0.95* 1.11* 731 4892 40591 0.84 26 7.0 0.4* 1.12* 822 5879 41436 0.82 27 * 1.24* 740 10051 31698 0.61 28 2.6 7.0 0.97 785 7889 54950 0.91 Inventive 29 2.0 12.0 0.99 786 8005 66860 0.96 example 30 2.1 11.0 0.98 1014 9126 68293 0.90 31 1.6 21.0 0.94 818 7817 59091 0.94 *indicates out of the definition of the present invention

TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Metal microstructures Sheet Ferrite + TiN average TiN average Test Steel thickness Pearlite Ferrite Bainite bainite Martensite Retained circle-equivalent minimum No. type (mm) (area %) (area %) (area %) (area %) (area %) (area %) diameter (mm) distance (mm) 32 F 3.1 0 70 30 100 0 0 5.5 11.9 33 G 3.1 0 15 85 100 0 0 6.0 10.7 34 H 3.1 0 70 30 100 0 0 6.3 10.1 35 I 3.1 0 69 31 100 0 0 5.8 10.8 36 J 3.1 0 65 35 100 0 0 5.9 10.9 37 K 3.1 0 55 45 100 0 0 9.7 10.0 38 L 3.1 0 20 80 100 0 0 3.9 14.9 39 M* 2.9 0 3* 97* 100 0 0 5.7 10.9 40 N* 2.9 0 95* 5* 100 0 0 5.4 11.4 41 O* 2.9 0 68 30 98 2 0 5.7 10.8 42 P* 2.9 0 0* 98* 98 2 0 5.5 10.9 43 Q* Inapplicable to rolling due to slab cracking 44 R* 2.9 0 84* 16* 100 0 0 6.6 10.9 45 S* 2.9 0 32 68 100 0 0 10.4* 8.8* 46 T* 2.9 0 55 45 100 0 0 10.1* 6.7* 47 U* 2.9 0 29 71 100 0 0 3.5 15.9 48 V 2.5 0 31 69 100 0 0 5.7 10.0 49 W 2.5 0 31 69 100 0 0 6.0 11.5 50 X 2.5 0 24 76 100 0 0 6.2 11.7 51 Y 2.5 0 38 62 100 0 0 6.1 11.9 52 Z 2.5 0 29 71 100 0 0 5.8 10.5 53 a* 2.5 0 70 30 100 0 0 3.2 7.1* 54 b* 2.5 0 68 32 100 0 0 12.0* 16.0 55 c* 2.5 0 69 31 100 0 0 11.0* 14.0 56 d* 2.5 0 69 31 100 0 0 4.0 8.0* 57 e* 2.5 0 69 31 100 0 0 10.8* 13.0 58 f* 2.5 0 69 31 100 0 0 4.1 8.9* 59 g* 2.5 0 70 30 100 0 0 11.2* 14.2 60 h* 2.5 0 68 32 100 0 0 3.8 7.5* 61 i 2.5 0 70 30 100 0 0 5.0 10.1 Metal microstructures Average circle- Number density Nano hardness Mechanical properties equivalent diameter of microscopic Ti standard Equivalent Test of microscopic Ti precipitates deviation TS TS u-EL TS plastic No. precipitates (nm) (10.sup.16/cm.sup.3) (GPa) (MPa) (MPa %) (MPa %) strain 32 2.4 7.0 0.95 826 9267 69394 0.97 Inventive 33 2.0 13.0 0.94 879 8014 66838 0.91 example 34 2.3 9.0 0.91 781 8935 65924 0.95 35 1.9 13.0 0.98 828 8322 54498 0.92 36 2.8 6.0 0.95 786 8635 70484 0.94 37 2.9 6.5 0.95 798 7356 66134 0.94 38 2.0 2.0 0.96 811 7558 66672 0.91 39 * 0.95 897 6503 64694 0.90 Comparative 40 14.0 0.03* 0.99 478 10558 56168 1.00 example 41 4.0 0.9* 1.00 850 8547 54171 0.90 42 * 0.92 545 10199 52554 1.00 43 Inapplicable to rolling due to slab cracking 44 6.0 0.6* 0.92 587 8431 53868 0.91 45 2.0 5.0 0.97 782 8197 68068 0.79 46 2.8 7.0 0.99 805 7865 62392 0.71 47 * 0.95 697 9820 61163 1.00 48 2.2 7.5 0.98 829 8260 68192 0.96 Inventive 49 2.3 8.0 0.95 839 8401 70256 0.95 example 50 2.0 12.0 0.96 846 8042 72632 0.96 51 2.0 12.0 0.93 811 8244 62814 0.98 52 1.4 34.0 0.95 853 7749 69638 0.97 53 2.5 6.0 0.93 783 7861 69349 0.81 Comparative 54 2.4 7.0 0.95 789 8002 68330 0.62 example 55 2.4 7.0 0.94 795 8438 68704 0.67 56 2.6 6.0 0.93 781 7894 62988 0.84 57 2.5 7.0 0.95 789 7772 69529 0.64 58 2.2 9.0 0.94 800 7883 67157 0.82 59 2.1 11.0 0.93 784 8160 67430 0.70 60 1.8 16.0 0.95 791 8318 68985 0.84 61 2.7 5.0 0.94 801 7867 68515 0.99 Inv. Example *indicates out of the definition of the present invention

[0278] [Metal Microstructure]

[0279] The present inventors observed metal microstructures of the resultant hot rolled steel sheet and measured the area fraction of each of the microstructures. Specifically, when a width and a thickness of the steel sheet in a cross section perpendicular to a rolling direction of the steel sheet are defined as W and t, respectively, a specimen for metal microstructure observation was cut out at a position W from an end face of the steel sheet and t from a surface of the steel sheet.

[0280] Then, a rolling direction cross section (so-called L-direction cross section) of the specimen was subjected to Nital etching, and observed in a 300 m300 M field of view using an optical microscope after the etching. Then, a resultant microstructure photograph was subjected to image analysis to determine an area fraction A of ferrite, an area fraction B of pearlite, and a total area fraction C of bainite, martensite, and retained austenite.

[0281] Next, the portion subjected to Nital etching was subjected to Lepera etching and observed in a 300 m300 M field of view using an optical microscope. Then, a resultant microstructure photograph was subjected to image analysis to calculate a total area fraction D of retained austenite and martensite. Further, a sample subjected to facing up to a depth of sheet thickness from a normal direction of the sheet surface was used to determine a volume ratio of the retained austenite with X-ray diffraction measurement. Since the volume ratio is substantially equal to the area fraction, the volume ratio was defined as an area fraction E of the retained austenite. An area fraction of bainite was determined from a difference between the area fraction C and the area fraction D, and an area fraction of martensite was determined from a difference between the area fraction E and the area fraction D. In this way, the area fraction of each of ferrite, bainite, martensite, retained austenite, and pearlite was determined.

[0282] The area fraction of precipitation strengthened ferrite was determined in KAM method after the specimen was polished with a colloidal silica abrasive and subjected to the EBSP measurement under the following conditions: magnification of 400, 160256 m field of view, and a measurement step of 0.5 m, as described above.

[0283] For fine Ti precipitates, the specimen was subjected to electrolytic polishing and measured in the 3D Atom Probe Tomography to determine the circle-equivalent diameter and the number density, as described above.

[0284] For TiN, the specimen was observed at a magnification of 1000 in 20 fields of view, each field of view being 6040 m, and the average circle-equivalent diameter of TiN was determined by image processing, as described above. Further, the minimum distance between TiN precipitates was determined by observing the same portions as in the microstructure studies using a metallurgical microscope at a magnification of 500.

[0285] [Mechanical Properties]

[0286] Among mechanical properties, tensile strength properties (tensile strength (TS), uniform elongation (u-EL), and hole expansion ratio ()) were evaluated in conformity with JIS Z 2241 (2011) using a JIS Z 2241 (2011) No. 5 specimen, which was taken at a position W or W from one end of the sheet in a sheet width direction when a sheet width is defined as W with a direction (width direction) perpendicular to a rolling direction being a longitudinal direction. The hole expansion ratio was evaluated in conformity with a test method described in JIS Z 2256 2010 using a specimen taken at a position similar to the position where the tensile test specimen was taken.

[0287] Further, the present inventors conducted a simple shear test in a procedure described below, and determined the equivalent plastic strain based on the results.

[0288] A specimen for the simple shear test is taken at a position W or W from one end of the sheet in a sheet width direction when a sheet width is defined as W with a direction (width direction) perpendicular to a rolling direction being a longitudinal direction. FIG. 1(a) illustrates an example of the specimen. The specimen for the simple shear test illustrated in FIG. 1(a) was processed into a rectangular specimen of 23 mm in the width direction of the steel sheet and 38 mm in the rolling direction of the steel sheet in such a way that both sides were uniformly polished to a sheet thickness of 2.0 mm for uniform sheet thickness.

[0289] Chucks were applied to opposite chucking portions 2 on long sides (rolling direction) of the specimen, each chucking portion having 10 mm along a short side direction (width direction), so that a shear width (shear deformation generation portion 1) of 3 mm is provided in the center of the specimen. In the case in which the sheet thickness is less than 2.0 mm, the test was conducted with the sheet thickness being left intact without polishing. Further, the center of the specimen was marked with a straight line in the short side direction (width direction) with a pen or the like.

[0290] Then, the chucked long sides were moved in opposite directions along the long side direction (rolling direction) so that the specimen was subjected to shear deformation by loading the specimen with a shearing stress s. FIG. 1(b) illustrates an example of the specimen subjected to shear deformation. The shearing stress s is a nominal stress as determined in the following formula:

shearing stress s=shear force/(length of specimen in rolling direction of steel sheetsheet thickness of specimen)

[0291] Since the length and the sheet thickness are invariable in the shear test, it can be considered that the shear nominal stress is nearly equal to the shear true stress. During the shear test, a CCD camera was used to capture the straight line drawn in the center of the specimen and the inclination of the line was measured (see FIG. 1(b)). From the inclination , a shear strain s, which was generated due to the shear deformation, was determined using the following formula:

shear strain s=tan()

[0292] For the simple shear test, a simple shear tester (maximum displacement 8 mm) was used. Accordingly, there is a limitation to the stroke (displacement) of the tester. Further, since cracks may be generated on an end or a chucked portion of the specimen, only one shear test may not complete the test until the specimen ruptures in some cases. As such, a multi-stage shear test method, in which a series of operations including application of a shear test load, removal of the load, cutting of an end of a chucked portion of the specimen in a straight line, and reapplication of a load were repeated, was applied as described above.

[0293] To evaluate a one continuous simple shear test result by connecting results of these multi-stage shear test in series, a shear plastic strain (sp) was determined as follows by subtracting an elastic shear strain (se) taking an elastic shear modulus into consideration from a shear strain (s) obtained in each stage of the shear test, such that the shear plastic strains (s) in every stages were connected into one:

shear plastic strain sp=shear strain selastic shear strain se

elastic shear strain se=s/G

[0294] where

[0295] s: shearing stress

[0296] G: elastic shear modulus

[0297] Here, G=E/2(1+v) was nearly equal to 78000 (MPa).

[0298] E (Young's modulus (modulus of longitudinal elasticity))=206000 (MPa)

[0299] Poisson's ratio (v)=0.3

[0300] The simple shear test was conducted until the specimen ruptures. In this way, it is possible to trace a relation between the shearing stress s and the shear plastic strain sp. Then, a shear plastic strain when the specimen ruptures is spf.

[0301] From a relation between the shearing stress s obtained in the simple shear test and the shear plastic strain spf when the specimen ruptures, a conversion factor is used to determine the equivalent plastic strain eq in the above-described method.

[0302] Next, the standard deviation of nano hardness was measured. The specimen for the metal microstructure observation was polished again. The specimen was measured in measurement areas of 25 m25 m each at an interval of 5 m at a depth position ( t portion) of sheet thickness t from a steel sheet surface in a cross section in parallel to the rolling direction under a load of 1 mN (loading 10 s and unloading 10 s). From the results, an average nano hardness value and a standard deviation of nano hardness were calculated. The nano hardness was measured with the use of TriboScope/TriboIndenter available from Hysitron.

[0303] The measurement results are also shown in Tables 4 and 5.

[0304] As can be clearly seen from Tables 4 and 5, according to the hot rolled steel sheet according to the present invention, a hot-rolled steel sheet having balanced properties, which has a tensile strength (TS) of 780 MPa or more, a product (TSu-EL) of a uniform elongation u-EL and the tensile strength TS being equal to 7000 MPa.Math.% or more, and a product (TS) of a hole expansion ratio and the tensile strength TS being equal to 50000 MPa.Math.% or more, can be obtained. Further, the hot rolled steel sheet according to the present invention has an equivalent plastic strain of more than 0.90 (90%), and it has been confirmed that the steel sheet can endure in high strain range working such as sheet metal forging.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0305] According to the present invention, a hot rolled steel sheet with excellent sheet forgeability maintaining a good hole expandability, which is a basic feature as a high burring steel, can be obtained. Accordingly, the hot rolled steel sheet according to the present invention can find broad application in machine parts and the like. In particular, when it is applied to working on steel sheets including working in a high strain range such as sheet metal forging, remarkable effects thereof can be achieved.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

[0306] 1 shear deformation generation portion

[0307] 2 chucking portions