Effects of oxygen content, Mn/S ratio, Cu content, hot-rolling, and annealing on morphology/distribution of MnS inclusions and microstructure/mechanical properties of free-cutting stainless steel

Free-cutting steel, renowned for its exceptional machinability, is susceptible to the impact of manganese sulfide (MnS) and other non-metallic inclusions on the cutting performance and mechanical properties. The composition, morphology, and distribution of these inclusions are influenced by the total oxygen content and doping elements in free-cutting steel. This study focused on three S303 free-cutting steels with different S, Mn, and Cu contents, and the as-received samples were subjected to deoxidation and oxidation remelting, respectively, using a high-vacuum arc melting furnace to control the oxygen content. Thermo-Calc simulations were employed to predict the phases and phase proportions under different processing conditions and to compare with measurements. While the oxygen content was found to subtly affect the distribution and morphology of MnS inclusions, the Mn/S ratio notably affected the size and quantity of MnS inclusions, consequently impacting the mechanical properties of the steel. Higher Cu contents resulted in Cu segregates in the matrix but did not exist in MnS or form CuO; however, it significantly reduced strain hardening. Comparisons between hot-rolled and annealed samples revealed that the most significant changes in mechanical properties resulted from the release of residual stresses. In nanoindentation tests, it was observed that the hardness of MnS inclusion was influenced mainly by residual stresses not doping elements.