Effect of Chemical Composition and Annealing Parameters for Advanced Packaging Steel Applications

Packaging steels are widely used across a broad range of industries, from food and beverage to chemical products, for the protection, transportation and storage of goods. In this study, the effects of chemical composition and annealing parameters on the phase transformation behavior, microstructure, and mechanical properties of packaging steels were investigated. Two steel samples, Steel A and Steel B, with different chemical compositions (designed according to ASTM A623-22 standard limitations), were prepared using a vacuum induction melting (VIM) furnace. Within the scope of simulation studies, hot rolling, cold rolling, and annealing process simulators were utilized. Before the annealing simulations, the Gleeble 3500 thermal simulation device and JMatPro software were used to determine the process conditions. A light optical microscope (LOM) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used for microstructural characterization studies. Mechanical properties were characterized with tensile tests. Steel A and Steel B samples with different alloying elements and cooling rates were compared to evaluate their suitability for advanced packaging applications. The results of this analysis show that the addition of Nb and Mn to Steel B enhances bainite formation, refines grain size, and improves mechanical properties compared to Steel A.