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EP 4 118 246 A1

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(43) Date of publication: 18.01.2023 Bulletin 2023/03 (21) Application number: 21710528.7 (22) Date of filing: 13.03.2021

(51) International Patent Classification (IPC):  C21D 1/20(2006.01) C21D 9/48(2006.01) C22C 38/02(2006.01) C22C 38/20(2006.01) C22C 38/26(2006.01) C22C 38/32(2006.01) C22C 38/46(2006.01) C22C 38/54(2006.01) C21D 8/04(2006.01) C22C 38/00(2006.01) C22C 38/04(2006.01) C22C 38/24(2006.01) C22C 38/28(2006.01) C22C 38/38(2006.01) C22C 38/50(2006.01) C22C 38/58(2006.01) (52) Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC): C22C 38/38; C22C 38/02; C22C 38/20; C22C 38/58; C22C 38/54; C22C 38/32; C22C 38/28; C22C 38/24; C22C 38/26; C22C 38/005; C21D 1/20; C21D 8/0405; C21D 8/0426; C21D 8/0447; C21D 8/0436; C21D 9/48; C21D 2211/002; C21D 2211/008; C22C 38/50; C22C 38/46; C22C 38/06; C22C 38/42; C22C 38/001; C22C 38/44; C22C 38/48; C22C 38/00 (86) International application number: PCT/EP2021/056439 (87) International publication number: WO 2021/180979 (16.09.2021 Gazette 2021/37)

(84) Designated Contracting States: AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR Designated Extension States: BA ME Designated Validation States: KH MA MD TN (30) Priority: 13.03.2020 EP 20163136 (71) Applicant: Tata Steel Nederland Technology B.V. 1951 JZ Velsen-Noord (NL)	(72) Inventor: CHEN, Shangping 1970 CA IJmuiden (NL) (74) Representative: Group Intellectual Property Services  c/o Tata Steel Nederland Technology B.V. P.O. Box 10000 - 3G.37 1970 CA IJmuiden 1970 CA IJmuiden (NL)