Nippon Steel’s 2.0 GPa-class aluminized hot-stamping steel sheet with hydrogen-embrittlement resistance has been adopted for body components of Nissan Motor’s all-new ELGRAND.
The steel is used for underbody reinforcement components in the vehicle’s body structure. An overseas automaker has also adopted the product for upper-body reinforcement components.
Nippon Steel developed the steel to address the higher susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement associated with ultra-high-strength steel sheets. The company optimized its manufacturing processes to improve resistance to hydrogen ingress, strength degradation and cracking.
The adoption strengthens Nippon Steel’s position in high-strength hot-stamping steel for automotive applications, while the higher-strength material can contribute to vehicle weight reduction and safety.
Nippon Steel Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, is Japan’s largest steelmaker and the world’s third-largest steel producer. The company has consolidated global crude steel production capacity of around 76 mln tons per year, including 44 mln tons in Japan and 32 mln tons overseas, with a long-term target to expand capacity to 100 mln tons per year.