A method to extract inclusion particles from solid steel by electrolysis with organic electrolyte solution was introduced; meanwhile, thermodynamics of inclusion formation was calculated using FaetSage software. The results showed that there were two kinds of inclusions in the billet, i.e. Al2O3-MnO-SiO2-MnS （AMS-MnS） and Al2O3- MnO-SiO2 （AMS）. Most of AMS-MnS inclusion particles, with diameter of 10--30 μm, showed three-layer structures： SiO2-rich core with a small quantity of Mn, intermediate AMS layer, and MnS outer layer containing small quanti- ties of A1 and O. Most AMS inclusion particles were 50--90 μm and exhibited homogeneous composition. Thermo- dynamic results indicated that SiO2-rich core could form firstly by Si reacting with O in molten steel at temperatures above 1 923 K during Si-Fe alloy addition, and then, the SiO2-rich core could react with Mn and Al to form liquid AMS enveloping the SiO2 rich core at 1823- 1873 K. MnS began to precipitate from AMS when temperature reached 1 728 K. Liquid AMS could form by coupled reaction among Si, Mn, Al and O in molten steel.
Guo-cheng WANGSheng-li LIXin-gang AIChong-min ZHANGChao-bin LAI
Based on the two-step nucleation mechanism, a multi-step thermodynamic model for alumina inclusion for- mation during aluminum deoxidation process was proposed in Fe-O-Al melt. Thermodynamic properties of metastable intermediates including （Al2O3）n clusters for prenucleation and α-Al2O3 nanoparticle for growth process were calculated using density functional theory. Furthermore, Gibbs free energy change of forming the intermediate by reaction between the dissolved aluminum （Al） and oxygen （O） in the melt was calculated. The results indicated that the thermodynamics of （Al2O3）n at steelmaking temperature are dependent on their structures, while that of α-Al2O3 nanoparticle are dependent on their size. The nuclei of α-Al2O3 which was originated from （Al2O3）n aggregated under a high supersaturation ratio of Al and O（Rs） in the melt. There existing excess oxygen because of the low Rs, but the secondary inclusions will be formed during the cooling process due to the excess oxygen. The nuclei lager than 20 nm can grow up spontaneously and instantaneously into primary inclusions because of thermodynamic drive. It is difficult to control the size of α-Al2O3 to be less than 20 nm, in the aluminum deoxidation process of the current conditions of steelmaking.
Guo-Cheng WangQi WangSheng-Li LiXin-Gang AiDa-Peng Li
