Abstract
The agglomeration behavior of non-metallic inclusion is a critical phenomenon that needs to be controlled as it has a direct relationship with the performance of produced steel. Although the agglomerates can be potential points for serious defects in every grade of steel, they are likely to be more serious in high-carbon steel due to the low ductility of these grades of steels as well as their usage in severe conditions. Confocal scanning laser microscopes (CSLM) have been used by different researchers to investigate the agglomeration behavior of non-metallic particles at the interface of liquid steel and Ar gas, in situ. In recent decades, the agglomeration of Al2O3 particle in and on the surface of low-carbon steel has been widely investigated. However, there are very few studies focussing on non-Al2O3 inclusions which are included in a Ca-treated high-carbon steel. In this study, the agglomeration behaviors of sulfide/sulfide and sulfide/oxide particles on the surface of liquid high-carbon steel have been investigated in detail using CSLM. Agglomerations on the liquid surface are governed by capillary forces similar to the Al2O3 particle but this study demonstrates that agglomeration forces among non-Al2O3 particles on the surface of re-melted high-carbon samples are lower than pure-Al2O3 on the surface of low-carbon steel. Despite this, they show similar or longer acting lengths than pure-Al2O3.
Highlights
The importance of producing steels with higher performance has increased drastically
Arai et al [6] re-estimated the agglomeration coefficient α by re-calculating it based on the results reported by Nakaoka et al [7] and Higashitani et al [8], as slag-origin inclusion has a wide size distribution
The agglomeration behavior of non-Al2O3 particles on the surface of liquid highIn this study, the agglomeration behavior of non-Al2 O3 particles on the surface of liquid carbon steel has been investigated by re-melting specimens
Summary
The importance of producing steels with higher performance has increased drastically. Removing the inclusions from liquid steel to its maximum extent is one of the most important ways of enhancing wear resistance, ductility and longevity in the realisation of produced steels. When high strength, hardness and wear resistance are required, non-metallic inclusions can be critical. Individual sub-micron inclusions may not affect the performance of steel. The agglomerates of the sub-micron inclusions will produce a larger-size inclusion which is a weak point for steel. In addition to their effect on the final product, they may cause problems in production steps such as nozzle-clogging in a continuous casting process, leading to higher production costs
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