M2A Funded EngD Studentship: Development of High-Performance Packaging Steels

Swansea University is a UK top 30 institution for research excellence (Research Excellence Framework 2014), and has been named Welsh University of the Year 2017 by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide.

Start date: October 2017

There is a need to develop high performance packaging steel to fulfil market requirements (stronger, formable, thinner). One of the directions will lead to substantial improvement in properties is steel grades with a multi-phase structure (comprising ferrite and at least one of the structure constituents martensite, bainite, and/or residual austenite). In addition, nano-precipitation could contribute extra strengthening without losing ductility.

Project Aims

Target properties for high performance packaging steel: Rp - 650-750 MPa and A50 > 5% in all direction after a double reduction rolling. This implies that an A50 > 35% is necessary in as-annealed state. To achieve such properties, we will look both at alloy chemistry modification and process optimization, but main focus will be on process development. Various steel chemistries will be studied in Lab-scale; rolling process (hot rolling, warm rolling or intercritical annealing before cold rolling) control will be one of the key parameters; final annealing will be carried out in temperature windows both above and below A1 transformation temperature. Possible in-line deformation can be an additional variation.

Intensive microstructure/property evaluation is required for the proposed development. This will include detailed mechanical property evaluation: tensile properties, anisotropy/texture, forming failure analysis; and detailed TEM/SEM microstructure: volume fraction of multi-phases and their distribution, volume fraction of nano-strengthening particles and distribution. Prediction of mechanical properties based on microstructure information: contribution of various microstructures to strengthening/ductility, etc.

The Athena SWAN Charter recognises work undertaken by institutions to advance gender equality. The College of Engineering is an Athena SWAN bronze award holder and is committed to addressing unequal gender representation.

Eligibility:

Candidates should hold an Engineering or Physical Sciences degree with a minimum classification level of 2:1 or equivalent relevant experience. This project would be suitable for someone with a degree in materials science, metallurgy, or similar technical discipline and be willing to develop and apply his/her knowledge to steel grade development. Students will be working closely together with the Packaging business of Tata Steel (Trostre + Ijmuiden, Netherlands) as well as their R&D group. Occasional travel to various sites in UK and the Netherlands will be part of the role.