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Here we review research in which Vickers hardness tests, optical microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction, and atom probe tomography were used to understand the strengthening effects that can be found with Nb in CASTRIP® steels during thermo-mechanical processing and ageing. Nb addition favours the grain refinement of ferrite by inhibiting the austenite recrystallization when hot rolled and provides a strong cluster-hardening effect during ageing.

This study investigates the effect of N diffusion on a Nb-microalloyed steel made by twin roll casting at 525o C in a KNO3 salt bath. Nitriding up to 4 h increases the yield strength of the steel by ~50% with only a small drop in ductility, while 6 hours of nitriding causes brittle fracture. The improved mechanical performance after 4 hours of nitriding is thought to be a combined effect of solid solution strengthening of N diffusion and dispersion strengthening from extremely fine Nb-rich precipitates. Coarse features along grain boundaries consistently observed in steel nitrided for 6 hours are considered to be responsible for brittle fracture in samples nitrided for longer.