Abstract: A steel strip annealing furnace with a dew point control system. The furnace/control system can be more readily controlled to the desired dew point than the prior art control system and can handle the set point changes required as different types of steel coils are continuously run therethrough.

Abstract: A steel strip annealing furnace with a dew point control system. The furnace/control system can be more readily controlled to the desired dew point than the prior art control system and can handle the set point changes required as different types of steel coils are continuously run therethrough.

Abstract: A method for producing a cold rolled and hot dip coated steel sheet is provided. The method includes casting a steel into a slab, reheating, hot rolling, cooling, coiling, descaling and cold rolling the slab. The cold rolled steel sheet is annealed so a layer of iron oxide forms on the surface with an internal oxidation underneath. The sheet is then heated so the surface is oxidized and the layer of iron oxide is fully reduced to obtain an internally oxidized depth between 200 nm and 100 ?m which includes one or more of Si, Mn, Al, Ti containing oxides. The sheet is then hot dip coated and cooled.

Abstract: The invention deals with a cold rolled and hot dip steel sheet, with a tensile strength of at least 980 MPa, with yield strength above or equal to 500 MPa, with total elongation above or equal to 8%, the composition consisting by weight percent: 0.05<C<0.15%, 2<Mn?3%, Al<0.1%, 0.3<Si<1.5%, 0.01%<Nb<0.05%, N<0.02%, 0.1<Cr+Mo<1%, 0.0001<B<0.0025, Ti<0.5%, V<0.01%, S<0.01%, P<0.05% the remainder of the composition being iron and unavoidable impurities resulting from the smelting and the microstructure contains, in surface fraction: between 50 and 95% of martensite and between 5 and 50% of the sum of ferrite and bainite, wherein the ferrite grain size is below 10????, and wherein the aspect ratio of the ferrite grain size is between 1 and 3. The steel according to the invention is oxidized and subsequently reduced during heating, soaking and cooling steps of the annealing.

Abstract: A method of annealing of steel sheets is provided which includes a first step consisting in fully oxidizing the surface of such steel sheet thus creating a fully oxided surface layer, a second step consisting in selectively oxidizing elements other than iron of such steel, in an area extending under said fully oxided layer, thus creating a selectively oxided internal layer and a third step consisting in fully reducing said fully oxided surface layer.

Abstract: A method for producing a cold rolled and hot dip coated steel sheet is provided. The method includes casting a steel into a slab, reheating, hot rolling, cooling, coiling, descaling and cold rolling the slab. The cold rolled steel sheet is annealed so a layer of iron oxide forms on the surface with an internal oxidation underneath. The sheet is then heated so the surface is oxidized and the layer of iron oxide is fully reduced to obtain an internally oxidized depth between 200 nm and 100 ?m which includes one or more of Si, Mn, Al, Ti containing oxides. The sheet is then hot dip coated and cooled.

Abstract: The invention deals with a cold rolled and hot dip steel sheet, with a tensile strength of at least 980 MPa, with yield strength above or equal to 500 MPa, with total elongation above or equal to 8%, the composition consisting by weight percent: 0.05<C<0.15%, 2<Mn?3%, Al<0.1%, 0.3<Si<1.5%, 0.01%<Nb<0.05%, N<0.02%, 0.1<Cr+Mo<1%, 0.0001<B<0.0025, Ti<0.5%, V<0.01%, S<0.01%, P<0.05% the remainder of the composition being iron and unavoidable impurities resulting from the smelting and the microstructure contains, in surface fraction: between 50 and 95% of martensite and between 5 and 50% of the sum of ferrite and bainite, wherein the ferrite grain size is below 10????, and wherein the aspect ratio of the ferrite grain size is between 1 and 3. The steel according to the invention is oxidized and subsequently reduced during heating, soaking and cooling steps of the annealing.

Abstract: A method of annealing of steel sheets is provided which includes a first step consisting in fully oxidizing the surface of such steel sheet thus creating a fully oxided surface layer, a second step consisting in selectively oxidizing elements other than iron of such steel, in an area extending under said fully oxided layer, thus creating a selectively oxided internal layer and a third step consisting in fully reducing said fully oxided surface layer.

Abstract: Novel metallic bodies are provided which present an essentially oxide-free surface protected by phosphate groups which directly and chemically bond to surface metal atoms. Metal surfaces such as Al or Fe can be protected by deposition of a phosphate film directly onto etched metal surfaces without intermediate naturally occurring oxides between the metal ions and protective phosphate groups. Preferably, metallic surfaces to be protected are first etched to remove oxides and other contaminants, followed by electrochemical treatment with a phosphate electrolyte to generate a protective film having a thickness of from about 20-100 .ANG. which is stable in ambient air.