Let’s talk about steel.

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We recognize that, because of its critical role, people are interested in steel and the effect it has on the global economy. We are committed to being open, honest, and transparent in all our communications about our industry, its performance, and the impact we have.

Key facts:

The steel industry publishes data on production, demand, and trade at national and global levels, which is used for analyzing economic performance and making forecasts.
The steel industry presents its sustainability performance with 8 indicators on a global level every year.
The steel industry proactively participates in OECD, IEA, and UN meetings, providing all the information required on key industry topics which have an impact on our society.
The steel industry shares its safety performance and recognizes excellent safety and health programs every year.
The steel industry collects CO2 emissions data, providing benchmarks for the industry to compare and improve on.

How to prevent copper oxidation during copper alloy surface treatment?

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In the process of copper alloy surface treatment, after a period of storage, the surface of copper alloy will appear blackened and oxidized. After the surface of copper alloy is oxidized, it will seriously affect the quality, appearance, and service life of the product. In the process of copper alloy surface treatment, anti-oxidation treatment is a very important process. So, how to prevent copper oxidation during copper alloy surface treatment?

At present, the methods to prevent copper oxidation include passivation, electroless plating, electroplating, sealing, painting, and other processes. Among them, copper alloy passivation treatment is mature and easy to operate, which is favored by copper alloy surface treatment plants.
The copper alloy passivation treatment process includes copper degreasing, copper derusting, copper polishing, copper passivation, and other processes. The pretreatment degreasing and rust removal processes are very important, they determine the quality and yield of the final product, and the passivation process determines the role of rust prevention and discoloration prevention.

In general, copper alloy passivation agent is a chromium-free passivation agent with good environmental protection performance and stable physical and chemical properties.

Copper alloy passivation agent is non-toxic, odorless, non-volatile, non-deliquescent, non-decomposing, non-sublimating, and does not absorb dust and harmful gases such as H2S and SO2.

The copper parts treated with copper alloy passivation agent can effectively resist the erosion of copper alloys by hot and humid salt spray and bacteria, and have good wettability and high corrosion resistance.

The copper alloy passivation agent has the triple functions of dehydration, discoloration prevention, and rust prevention, and the generated passivation film has better electrical properties.

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If you encounter problems with other surface treatments of copper alloys, you can follow us and consult at any time. The editor must know everything!

The production process and welding quality of titanium plate determine its quality!

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A notable feature of titanium plates is their strong corrosion resistance, which is due to their great affinity for oxygen. It can form a dense oxide film on its surface, which can protect titanium from medium corrosion. It has good stability in acidic, alkaline, neutral saline solutions and oxidizing media, and is better than existing stainless steel and other commonly used non-ferrous metals in corrosion resistance.

The quality of titanium plate largely depends on the smelting process of the titanium plate manufacturer, including the chemical composition of titanium, the cleanliness of titanium water (gas, harmful elements, inclusions), and the quality of cast slab (composition segregation, decarburization, and surface conditions), which are the key control points of smelting operation.

In addition, industrial titanium plate also requires sufficient hardenability to ensure uniform microstructure and mechanical properties of the whole spring cross-section. The main reason for fatigue cracks is oxide inclusions in titanium, and the damage of type D inclusions to fatigue life is greater than that of type B inclusions. Therefore, foreign titanium factories and automobile factories put forward higher requirements for oxide inclusions in industrial titanium plates. For example, the Swedish SKF standard requires that the oxygen content in titanium be less than 15 × 10-6, and class D inclusions are lower than class B inclusions. Especially Al2O3 and tin inclusions do great harm to the fatigue life of titanium springs. In order to produce high-quality industrial titanium plates, special smelting methods such as electric furnace electro slag remelting or vacuum arc remelting were usually used in the past.

Because titanium plate has special physical and chemical characteristics, their welding process is very different from other metals. Titanium welding is a TIG welding process that effectively protects the welding area with inert argon. Before using argon, check the factory certificate on the bottle body to verify the purity index of argon, and then check whether the bottle valve leaks or fails.

When welding titanium plates, the following must be ensured:

The metal in the welding area shall not be polluted by the active gas n0h and the harmful impurity element clean above 250 ℃. Argon with purity not less than 99.98% and water content less than 50mg / M32: industrial grade I pure argon.

A coarse crystal structure cannot be formed. The welding process shall be carried out according to the predetermined construction sequence, and no large welding residual stress and residual deformation shall be generated. Therefore, the quality control of the whole process shall be carried out in strict accordance with the procedure quality management standards, so that the factors of human, machine, material, and method are under good control, so as to ensure the quality within a reasonable construction period.

Copper Nickel Alloy C71500 BFe30-1-1 Copper Rod Steel Plate Forgings

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Copper-nickel alloy C71500 cupronickel alloy is widely used in heat exchangers and condensing pipes for coastal power stations and ships due to its excellent corrosion resistance and anti-fouling properties. The excellent corrosion resistance of cupronickel alloy is attributed to the Cu 2 O film formed on its surface, which effectively prevents further contact between the substrate and the solution. As the main additive elements of cupronickel alloy, iron and manganese have an important influence on improving the corrosion resistance of cupronickel alloy, but there is no consensus on the influence mechanism of iron and manganese in it.

As a forgeable material, cupronickel alloy is suitable for both hot working technology and cold working technology and can be used to produce various profiles required. According to the processing process of cupronickel alloy, the maximum cold working deformation before annealing can reach 50%. The cupronickel alloy pipe is usually bent during use. When bending, the smooth bending method can prevent the influence of non-end flow on the service life of the pipe [DD. Under normal circumstances, the phenomenon of stress corrosion does not occur in cupronickel alloys, but when the cold working temperature is extremely low, stress relief heat treatment must be carried out, and the heat treatment temperature is 300 ° C ~ 400 ° C.

The complete annealing temperature of B10 alloy is 700℃~800℃, and the complete annealing temperature of B30 alloy is 750℃~850℃. The specific time and temperature of complete annealing depend on the degree of cold working, section thickness, degree of annealing treatment, and grain size of the alloy. Sure. Before heat treatment, the oily residue on the surface of the alloy must be removed to avoid the formation of the carbonaceous film. The carbonaceous film can cause pitting corrosion on the surface of the cupronickel alloy. Under certain working conditions, it will increase the sensitivity of impact corrosion, thereby reducing cupronickel alloy. Service time in practical application

Both B10 and B30 cupronickel alloys exhibit good resistance to seawater corrosion and biofouling under many conditions. Among them, the cupronickel alloy of B10 has better anti-biological accumulation ability. When the water speed is greater than 1m/s, the tiny organisms attached to the metal surface will be easily separated and removed. When the material does not have the ability to resist bioflooding, organisms in seawater will strongly adhere to its surface and grow in large numbers, resulting in a reduction in the service life of the material. Although some materials have good biofouling resistance, they do not have the ability to resist seawater corrosion, which will also reduce the service life. In addition, when the cupronickel alloy components in seawater are attached to the joints and surfaces of the components, the crevice corrosion resistance of cupronickel alloys is better than that of other common alloys. Cupronickel exhibits good corrosion resistance even under static or stagnant conditions that may occur during plant commissioning or overhaul

BFe30-1-1 cupronickel alloy has good solderability. However, this welding method is rarely used, because the joint strength obtained by this welding method does not meet the actual service requirements of cupronickel alloy, and the galvanic metal corrosion will be aggravated in a corrosive environment. Traditional brazing methods can be used, but a high silver filler metal is recommended, which minimizes the chance of corrosion of cupronickel. Copper-phosphorus and copper-silver-phosphorus solders should not be used because their use increases the risk of intergranular corrosion and hydrogen embrittlement. Re-cold-worked cupronickel alloy materials should be recrystallized and annealed before brazing to avoid excessive penetration and cracking between the brazing alloy and the base metal.

What is the difference between 316Ti stainless steel and 316L stainless steel?

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316Ti stainless steel is based on 316 stainless steel by adding Ti to improve the resistance to intergranular corrosion. It is also a variant of 316 stainless steel and is used in equipment resistant to sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, acetic acid, and acetic acid. Physical properties: 316 stainless steel chemical composition C: ≤0.08 Si≤1.00 Mn≤2.00 P≤0.035 S≤0.030 Ni 11.00~14.00 Cr 16.00~19.00 1 Mo 1.80~2.50 Ti≥5*C%~0.70 Usually also called Mo2Ti3163 (00Cr17Ni14Mo2) is an ultra-low carbon steel of 0Cr17Ni12Mo2, which has better resistance to intergranular corrosion than 0Cr17Ni12Mo2 (SUS316). 316L stainless steel chemical composition C≤0.03 Si≤1.00 P≤0.035 S≤0.03 Ni: 12.0-15.0 Cr: 16.0-18.0 Mo: 2.0-3.0 Tensile strength (Mpa) 620 MIN Yield strength (Mpa) 310 MIN Elongation ( %) 30 MIN Area reduction (%) 40 MIN Features: due to the addition of Mo, its corrosion resistance, atmospheric corrosion resistance, and high-temperature strength are particularly good, and can be used under harsh conditions; excellent work hardening (non-magnetic); Excellent high-temperature strength; non-magnetic in solid solution state; cold-rolled products have the good gloss and beautiful appearance; compared with 304L stainless steel, the price is higher.

copper-nickel-90-10-pipe

UNS C70600 in Seawater Service

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The performance and application of titanium forgings!

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Titanium forgings have high strength, low density, good mechanical properties, good toughness and corrosion resistance. In addition, titanium forgings have poor technological performance, are not easy to cut, are easy to absorb impurities such as hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, etc. during hot processing, and have poor wear resistance and complex production processes. The industrial production of titanium began in 1948, and with the development of the aviation industry, the titanium industry is growing at an average annual rate of about 8%. At present, the global annual output of it has reached more than 40,000 tons, and there are nearly 30 types of it. The most widely used titanium forgings are Ti-6Al-4V (TC4), Ti-5Al-2.5Sn (TA7) and industrial pure titanium (TA1, TA2 and TA3).

Titanium forgings are mainly used in the manufacture of compressor components for aircraft engines, followed by structural parts for rockets, missiles and high-speed aircraft. In the mid-1960s, titanium and its alloys were used in general industries such as making electrodes for the electrolysis industry, condensers in power stations, heaters in oil refining and desalination, and in environmental pollution control devices. Titanium and titanium alloys have emerged as corrosion-resistant structural materials. In addition, it is used in the production of hydrogen storage materials and shape memory alloys.

Standard: National Standard GB/T 16598-1996

American Standard: ASTM B381

Material: TA0, TA1, TA2, TA3, TC4

Delivery state: Annealed state (M) Hot working state (R) Cold working state (Y) (annealing, ultrasonic flaw detection)

Packing: carton or wooden box

Surface treatment: car light, chamfering

Surface quality: The surface roughness Ra of the two end faces should not be greater than 3.2m (subject to the requirements of ultrasonic flaw detection), and the surface roughness Ra of the inner and outer sides should not be greater than 12.5m (Ra should not be greater than 3.2 m during cylindrical ultrasonic flaw detection). Circumferential surface required), the chamfering radius is 5 ~ 15mm. There should be no visible defects such as cracks, folds, double skins, etc. on the surface of the product. Local surface defects can be removed by grinding, the cleaning depth should not exceed the dimensional tolerance, and the minimum allowable size should be guaranteed. The ratio of the cleaning depth to the width of the two end faces should not exceed 1: 6, the inner and outer sides should not exceed 1: 10, and the outer grinding should be carried out in the axial direction.

Well, the above is all about the performance and application of titanium forgings. I hope you like it!

Refinement of Titanium Alloy by Hydrogen Treatment

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Ultrafine-grained titanium alloy has a series of outstanding advantages, its room temperature strength can be improved to a certain extent, and it has a great elongation when stretched at high temperature. Refined grains are usually obtained by large deformation methods, such as equal-diameter angular extrusion, high-pressure torsion, multi-axis forging, and cumulative coil pressure welding. In addition, hydrogen treatment can also be used for titanium alloys.

In the 1970s, the Moscow Aircraft Manufacturing Research Institute studied the influence of hydrogen on the processing properties of titanium alloys, and proposed the concept of “hydrogen plasticization”, using hydrogen as a temporary alloying element, through hydrogen infiltration, eutectoid decomposition, vacuum hydrogen removal, and other processes. , using hydrogen-induced plasticity, hydrogen-induced phase transformation, and the reversible alloying of hydrogen in titanium alloys to improve processing properties and refine the microstructure of materials.

Hydrogen treatment can be used to refine the grain structure of titanium alloy castings and forgings and improve their mechanical properties. It has been reported in the literature that the microstructure of TiAl alloy can be refined by hydrogen treatment, and its compressive strength and yield strength have been significantly improved. In practical applications, the hydrogen treatment technology can usually be combined with the corresponding subsequent heat treatment and thermal deformation treatment, so as to obtain a very fine grain structure. Studies have shown that large-scale deformation of hydrogenated titanium alloys at a high temperature can form equiaxed fine grains with a grain size of about 1 μm, and even nano-scale grains. The research on Ti-6.3Al-3.5Mo-1.7Zr (%, mass fraction) alloy shows that the hydrogen atomic fraction is 14%-16% in hydrogen treatment, the deformation temperature is reduced to 550 ℃, and then through the deformation process and metastable phase, The decomposition process finally obtained nanocrystalline grains with a grain size of 40 nm. Comparing the engineering stress-strain curves of Ti-6Al-4V alloys with different grain sizes, it can be seen that the ultra-fine-grained materials exhibit high yield strength and high elongation compared with the coarse-grained or general fine-grained materials.

Let the titanium alloy absorb a large number of hydrogen atoms (protium), and then let these hydrogen atoms (protium) desorb under a high-temperature vacuum, this process is called protium treatment. For α + β titanium alloys, the protium treatment includes the following three processes: (1) protium absorption in a hydrogen atmosphere; (2) martensitic transformation and hot working eventually cause dispersive hydride precipitation; (3) final protium desorption treatment and recrystallization. It is reported that the Ti-6Al-4V alloy is treated with protium, and the alloy absorbs 0.5% of protium and desorbs at 873K, showing an ultra-fine equiaxed grain structure with large-angle grain boundaries and grain size in the range of 300-500 nm. Studies have shown that protium treatment increases the content of the β phase in the α matrix. Tensile tests show that the yield strength of the alloy increases at room temperature, and the maximum elongation of 1123K alloy reaches 9000%. It is also reported that the Ti-6Al-4V sheet was treated with protium with a protium content of 0.5%, then quenched at 1223K, hot-rolled at 1023K to a thickness reduction rate of 80%, and desorbed at 873K. In the uniform structure of equiaxed crystals, the grain size is 0.3 ~ 0.5μm. The test results show that the mechanical properties such as superplastic elongation of the alloy increase significantly with the decrease of grain size.

Although the hydrogen treatment method shows great potential for refining titanium alloys, compared with other conventional methods, the hydrogen treatment method has a higher cost, and for larger structural parts, this treatment method also suffers from uneven hydrogen distribution and equipment condition requirements. Higher problems still need further research to solve.

How to whiten 304 stainless steel plate?

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304 stainless steel plate is made of stainless steel, it will not rust, and it is also very strong. It is a common steel plate. Of course, it may be whitened in some special projects. But how is this whitening done?

1. What is the whitening treatment? Refers to the 304 stainless steel plate in the process of processing, which will be rolled, edged, welded, or heated by artificial surface fire, resulting in the removal of black oxide scale, the whitening treatment of traditional stainless steel surface is generally used hydrofluoric acid and nitric acid Corrosion method to remove, but this method is costly and pollutes the environment.

2. At present, there are sandblasting methods and chemical methods for the surface oxide scale treatment of 304 stainless steel plates. Sandblasting method: mainly uses the method of spraying micro glass beads to remove the black oxide scale on the surface. Chemical method: use a non-polluting pickling passivation paste and a non-toxic cleaning solution with inorganic additives at room temperature for dipping, so as to achieve the purpose of whitening the natural color of stainless steel, and it basically looks dull after treatment. This method is more suitable for large and complex products.

304 stainless steel plates may produce a certain amount of oxide scale in some processes. At this time, we can carry out whitening treatment. Sandblasting and chemical treatment are more appropriate methods.

Gold plated beryllium was used as NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope shiny giant mirror

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For one: why is it gold?

The primary mirror of the James Webb Space Telescope

The primary mirror of the James Webb Space Telescope

Have you seen images online of a giant, golden honeycomb poised to launch into space? That’s the iconic mirror that will allow the James Webb Space Telescope to study corners of the cosmos never before seen.

The James Webb Space Telescope, a joint collaboration between NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency, is set to be the most powerful space telescope ever. The secret to its impressive observation powers? An enormous, golden mirror. The mirror is made up of 18 smaller mirrors that together will allow mission teams to use the scope to measure light from extremely distant galaxies, billions of light-years away.

“What we really need is for all those 18 mirrors to act as though they’re a single monolith,” Lee Feinberg, the Optical Telescope Element Manager for Webb, told Space.com at a news conference in May of this year.

Webb is set to launch to space on Dec. 22 from the Guiana Space Center, or Europe’s Spaceport, in Korou, French Guiana.

Related: Building the James Webb Space Telescope (gallery)

Webb’s primary mirror spans 21 feet, 4 inches (6.5 meters) across, and is made up of 18 hexagonal mirror segments measuring 4.3 feet (1.32 m) in diameter. Webb also has a small secondary mirror that measures just 2.4 feet (0.74 m) across.

This makes Webb’s primary mirror significantly larger than that of the Hubble Space Telescope, which has a mirror that measures 7.8 feet (2.4 meters) across.

Focusing on a giant hexagon

the telescope's infrared view will be able to penetrate interstellar dust

the telescope’s infrared view will be able to penetrate interstellar dust

The space telescope’s signature honeycomb mirror segments are shaped as such because the pieces can fit together in a way that makes it possible for the primary mirror, made up of all of the pieces, to be a roughly circular shape, according to a NASA statement(opens in new tab).

“If the segments were circular, there would be gaps between them,” the statement reads, adding that “a roughly circular overall mirror shape is desired because that focuses the light into the most compact region on the detectors. [An] oval mirror, for example, would give images that are elongated in one direction. A square mirror would send a lot of the light out of the central region.”

In addition to its shape that helps it to pick up light from very far away, Webb’s mirror operates with the help of what is called actuators. Actuators are tiny mechanical motors that help the mirror to focus on far-off objects.

There are six actuators on the back of each mirror piece that can move each piece of the mirror in minuscule amounts very slowly, allowing the mission team to fine-tune Webb’s view.

“These actuators are actually a pretty amazing piece of engineering in the sense that they can move long strokes, called core stage, but they also have a fine stage which can move extremely precise, fractional wavelengths of light,” Feinberg said.

Why is it gold?

The James Webb Space Telescope’s 21.3-foot (6.5 meters) diameter primary mirror.

Aside from its hexagonal shape and enormous size, Webb’s most distinctive feature is the shiny, bright gold color of its mirror.

It has such a striking appearance that NASA even held an art challenge (opens in a new tab)open to public submissions of art inspired by the space telescope.

So, “why gold?” Feinberg said. For one, it is extremely reflective (which is readily apparent in its brilliant appearance). “It has this amazing reflectivity … gold actually has the highest reflectivity over a very wide wavelength band.”

“The reason you build such a large telescope is to catch every individual photon,” he added. “So you also want the reflectivity of each of these coatings to be extremely high so we don’t lose photons along the way.”

Webb’s mirrors are said to be 98% reflective — meaning they reflect 98% of incoming photons — which is about as reflective as it comes.

Feinberg added that “it’s also a protective gold that has an overcoat … it’s a very rugged coating.”

Now, while Webb’s mirror segments are coated in gold, they are not made of solid gold. They are actually constructed from beryllium, a strong but lightweight metal. Each mirror piece weighs about 46 pounds (20 kilograms) on Earth. In addition to being extremely durable while comparably lightweight, beryllium can also hold its shape at the extreme cold temperatures that Webb will need to operate at, according to the NASA statement.

Making something amazing(ly cold)

Webb has been over 20 years in the making since development first began on the scope in 1996.

To develop, build and test Webb’s mirrors, it took “a product integrity team that was made up of optical experts from all around the world,” Bill Ochs, the James Webb Space Telescope project manager, said during the same news conference.

Ochs shared that they tested the hardware “at [NASA’s] Johnson Space Center in their chamber that was built back in the Apollo era that was modified to become the largest cryogenic chamber in the world.”

In this cryogenic chamber, which is a facility that creates an extremely cold environment, “we were able to deploy the entire telescope,” Ochs said.

To peer out into the farthest reaches of the universe and spot its stars and galaxies, Webb observes in infrared light. However, since infrared light is essentially heat, if Webb were too warm it wouldn’t be able to detect infrared light past the glow of its own mirror.

In fact, Webb’s mirrors need to be at about minus 364 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 220 degrees Celsius) to work as intended. To keep it this cold, the scope will be sent into deep space where it will deploy sun shields to shade its mirrors and other instruments from any lingering warmth from the sun.

So, with this testing, the team was able to ensure that Webb’s precious mirror pieces could operate in such extreme and frigid conditions.