COOPHS was represented at the 10th International Conference on Hot Sheet Metal Forming of High-Performance Steel, CHS² 2026, held from 1 to 3 June in Plzeň, Czech Republic. The conference brought together researchers, engineers and industry representatives working on hot forming, press hardening and advanced high-performance steel solutions.
Within the conference programme, Laura Grifé presented the contribution "Evaluation of fracture toughness of 1500 MPa press hardened steels produced from scrap recycling", linked to COOPHS research activities. The work focuses on a key challenge for the steelmaking industry: increasing the use of scrap as feedstock to reduce CO₂ emissions and energy consumption, while ensuring that recycled steel routes can deliver the mechanical performance required for demanding applications.
The study addresses press hardening steels, which are widely used in passive safety applications in the automotive sector due to their high strength and lightweighting potential. However, the use of scrap can introduce residual elements which may influence grain boundary characteristics and affect fracture behaviour. In this context, understanding fracture toughness is essential to assess cracking resistance and crash failure performance.
Laura Grifé's contribution investigated the effect of residual elements on the fracture toughness behaviour of press hardened steels. Fracture toughness was evaluated using the Essential Work of Fracture methodology with Double Edge Notched pre-cracked specimens, while the fracture surfaces were analysed by Scanning Electron Microscopy.
The presentation contributed to the discussion on how residual elements can affect mechanical performance, with particular attention to crack initiation and propagation resistance.
By sharing these results at CHS² 2026, COOPHS strengthened its visibility within the international press hardening steel research community and contributed to ongoing efforts to support more circular and sustainable steel production routes.
