Hyundai Steel Develops New 1.5GPa Eco-Friendly Automotive Steel Sheet

Electric vehicle concept body applying Hyundai Steel's steel plates. Photo by Hyundai Steel

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] Hyundai Steel announced that it has completed the development of '1.5 Gigapascal (GPa) MS (Martensitic) steel sheet.'

The 1.5GPa MS steel sheet developed by Hyundai Steel this time is a product that significantly improves flatness and crack resistance compared to previously developed steel sheets of the same specifications. The company named it 'Premium 1.5GPa MS Steel Sheet' to differentiate it from existing products.

Generally, 1.5GPa MS steel sheets undergo a rapid cooling process during manufacturing to secure high strength. In this process, flatness deteriorates and cracks caused by hydrogen penetration during product use occur, making quality assurance difficult and limiting commercialization as automotive materials.

To solve these problems, Hyundai Steel optimized the combination of alloying elements from the raw material production stage, developed heat treatment technology to replace rapid cooling, and technology to minimize hydrogen penetration, the main cause of cracks, applying these to the manufacturing process. As a result, they succeeded in producing 'Premium 1.5GPa MS Steel Sheet' that maintains a strength of 1.5GPa while achieving flatness of 3mm or less.

Hyundai Steel expects that the newly developed 'Premium 1.5GPa MS Steel Sheet,' which maintains the advantages and compensates for the disadvantages of existing steel sheets of the same specifications, will be widely applied to electric vehicle battery cases, bumpers, and roof side reinforcements.

Hyundai Steel stated, "The core technologies attracting attention from the complete vehicle industry are body lightweighting to increase driving range and enhancing body crash durability to safely protect occupants and batteries during external impacts," adding, "This steel sheet development is expected to contribute to market preemption of electric vehicle-related materials."