Oxide Metallurgy Technology in High Strength Steel: A Review

Oxide metallurgy technology plays an important role in inclusion control and is also applied to improve the weldability of high strength steel. Based on the requirements of the weldability in high strength steel, the influencing factors of weld heat affected zone (HAZ) as well as the development and application status of oxide metallurgy technology are summarized in this review. Moreover, the advantages and difficulties in the application of rare earth (RE) oxide metallurgy technology are analyzed, combined with the performance mechanism of RE and its formation characteristics of fine and high melting point RE inclusions with distribution dispersed in liquid steel. With the weldability diversities of different high strength steels, the research status of weldability of high strength steel with high carbon equivalent and the effects of RE on the microstructure and properties of HAZ are discussed, and some suggestions about further research in the future are proposed.