Thermodynamic analysis of strontium deoxidizing ability in liquid iron at presence of aluminum

Phase diagram of the ternary oxide system FeO - SrO -Al2O3 was constructed for the first time. In this system, the following compounds can be formed: hercynite FeAl2O4 and five strontium aluminates - Sr4Al2O7 , Sr3Al2O6 , SrAl2O4 , SrAl4O7 , SrAl12O19 . According to the calculations performed, solid solutions of oxides are not formed in the system, as it is confirmed by the literature data. In the course of modeling, the optimal energy parameters of the theory of subregular ionic solutions were selected for the components of the oxide melt (FeO, SrO, Al2O3 ). Thermodynamic analysis of strontium deoxidizing ability in liquid iron at presence of aluminum was carried out using the technique for constructing the surface of solubility of strontium and aluminum in metal for steelmaking temperatures (1550 and 1600 °C) and carbon concentrations of 0.1 and 0.4 %. The equilibrium constants of the reactions of formation of strontium aluminates Sr3Al2O6 and SrAl2O4 from the components of the metal melt were calculated for the temperature range of 1550 - 1650 °C. It was found that the rest of strontium aluminates can be formed in liquid metal only at temperatures above 1750 °C. The base of thermodynamic data for the studied systems is given: temperature dependences of equilibrium constants for reactions occurring between components; values of interaction parameters of the first order (according to Wagner) for elements in liquid iron; values of energy parameters of the theory of subregular ionic solutions (for oxide melt). It follows from the calculations that the formation of strontium monoaluminate SrAl2O4 and corundum Al2O3 is most probable as the interaction products in Fe -Al - Sr - O and Fe -Al - Sr - C - O systems.

Phase equilibrium occurring during low-carbon iron-based melt deoxidation with silicostrontium

At the moment, to improve quality of metal (especially low-alloyed), out-of-furnace steel processing technologies are used with complex alloys utilization, which include alkaline earth metals (ALM) in addition to silicon. Study of strontium additives effect on deoxidation and liquid steel modification processes is one of the promising areas of research in field of metallurgical technologies. Thermodynamic modeling of phase equilibria in Fe – Sr – Si –C– O system melt was carried out using method of constructing surface of components solubility in metal. Solubility surface determines stability limits of non-metallic phases formed during deoxidation, depending on composition of liquid metal of the studied system. The calculation was carried out using equilibrium constants of reactions occurring in the melt during deoxidation, as well as the first order interaction parameters (according to Wagner) of elements in liquid iron. Activity of the oxide melt components was determined using theory of subregular ionic solutions. Activity of the gas phase was calculated taking into account partial pressures. Simulations were performed for two temperatures (1550 and 1600 °C) for fixed carbon concentrations (0 (no carbon in liquid iron) and 0.1 % (low-carbon metal melt)). It has been shown that, in comparison with silicon, strontium is stronger deoxidizing agent in liquid metal. According to the simulation results, liquid oxide non-metallic inclusions of variable composition or strontium ortho- and metasilicates Sr2SiO4 and SrSiO3 (with an increase in strontium concentration) should be the main oxide phases in deoxidation products. Decrease in the temperature of liquid metal leads to changes in phase formation (formation of SrSiO3 silicate becomes possible).

Interfacial Phenomena and Inclusion Formation Behavior at Early Melting Stages of HCFeCr and LCFeCr Alloys in Liquid Iron

Chromium is normally added to liquid alloy in the form of different grades of ferrochromium (FeCr) alloys for the requirement of different alloy grades, such as stainless steels, high Cr cast iron, etc.. In this work, inclusions in two commercially produced alloys, i.e., high-carbon ferrochromium (HCFeCr) and low-carbon ferrochromium (LCFeCr) alloys, were investigated. The FeCr alloy/liquid iron interactions at an early stage were investigated by inserting solid alloy piece into contact with the liquid iron for a predetermined time using the liquid-metal-suction method. After quenching these samples, a diffusion zone between the alloys and the liquid Fe was studied based on the microstructural characterizations. It was observed that Cr-O-(Fe) inclusions were formed in the diffusion zone, FeOx inclusions were formed in the bulk Fe, and an “inclusion-free” zone was detected between them. Moreover, it was found that the HCFeCr was slowly dissolved, but LCFeCr alloy was rapidly melted during the experiment. The dissolution and melting behaviors of these two FeCr alloys were compared and the mechanism of the early-stage dissolution process of FeCr alloys in the liquid Fe was proposed.

Thermodynamics of nitrogen solutions in liquid nickel

The simplest model of the structure and interatomic interaction is applied to nitrogen solutions in liquid alloys of Fe – Ni system, which earlier (2019) was used by the authors for nitrogen solutions in alloys of Fe – Cr system. The principles of statistical mechanics are used in this model. Thus, three formulas were obtained. The first formula expresses the Sieverts law constant for the solubility of nitrogen in liquid nickel through a similar constant for the solubility of nitrogen in liquid iron and the Wagner interaction coefficient of nitrogen with nickel in low-concentration liquid iron-base alloys. The second formula expresses the partial enthalpy of dissolution of nitrogen in liquid nickel during the formation of an infinitely dilute solution through a similar value for dissolution of nitrogen in liquid iron and the Wagner interaction coefficient of nitrogen with nickel in iron-base liquid alloys. The third formula expresses the Wagner interaction coefficient of nitrogen with iron in low-concentration liquid nickel-base alloys through the Wagner interaction coefficient of nitrogen with nickel in liquid iron-base alloys. The constant of the Sieverts law for the solubility of nitrogen in liquid iron at T = 1873 K is assumed to be 0.044 mass. %. The partial enthalpy of dissolution of nitrogen in liquid iron assumed to be 5.0 kJ/mol. For Wagner interaction coefficient of nitrogen with nickel in iron-base liquid alloys at 1873 K three variants of values were studied: 2.4, 2.6, and 2.85. For the first option, theoretical value of the Sieverts law constant for solubility of nitrogen in liquid nickel at T = 1873 K, equal to 0.00195 mass. % was obtained. Theoretical value of the enthalpy of dissolution of nitrogen in liquid nickel is 52.7 kJ/mol. Theoretical value of the Wagner interaction coefficient of nitrogen with iron in nickel-base liquid alloys is –4.0. The agreement of theory with experiment seems to be satisfactory.