OPTIMIZATION OF THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF OS STEEL TO INCREASE HARDNESS

In the presented work, a comprehensive analysis of the optimization of the chemical composition of steel within the existing grades using the concept of directional chemical bonding has been carried out. This scientific approach is based on the idea of a metal melt as a single chemical system, where the interaction between elements determines the properties of the material. The main attention is paid to the influence of variations in the content of key matrix elements — carbon, silicon and manganese — on the charge state of the system, which is described by the parameter ZY. During the calculation experiment, it was established that the effective functioning of the metal system is ensured at a Mn/Si ratio within 2.8–3.2. Achieving this range is mainly achieved by regulating the silicon content, which contributes to maintaining chemical equilibrium in the melt. With an increase in this ratio beyond the optimal limits, the influence of excess manganese increases, which can negatively affect the stability of the system and the properties of the steel. This indicates the need for precise control of the chemical composition to obtain a material with the desired performance characteristics.