Studies of H13 steel suggest that under appropriate conditions, additions of rare-earth metals (REM) can significantly enhance mechanical properties, such as impact toughness. This improvement is apparently due to the formation of finer and more dispersive RE inclusions and grain refinement after REM additions. In this present work, the microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of H13 steel with rare earth additions (0, 0.015, 0.025 and 0.1 wt.%) were investigated. The grain size, inclusions and fracture morphology were systematically studied by means of optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results indicate that REM addition of 0.015 wt.% can result in good improvement of performance compared to the REM additions of 0.025 wt.% and 0.1 wt.%. It is found that the impact toughness is significantly enhanced with the addition of 0.015% REM, which can be improved 90% from 10 J to 19 J. Such an addition of REM can result in a huge volume fraction of finer and more dispersive inclusions which are extremely good to toughness.

Channel segregation, which is featured by the strip-like shape with compositional variation in cast materials due to density contrast-induced flow during solidification, frequently causes the severe destruction of homogeneity and some fatal damage. An investigation of its mechanism sheds light on the understanding and control of the channel segregation formation in solidifying metals, such as steels. Until now, it still remains controversial what composes the density contrasts and, to what extent, how it affects channel segregation. Here we discover a new force of inclusion flotation that drives the occurrence of channel segregation. It originates from oxide-based inclusions (Al₂O₃/MnS) and their sufficient volume fraction-driven flotation becomes stronger than the traditionally recognized inter-dendritic thermosolutal buoyancy, inducing the destabilization of the mushy zone and dominating the formation of channels. This study uncovers the mystery of oxygen in steels, extends the classical macro-segregation theory and highlights a significant technological breakthrough to control macrosegregation.