Abstract
A new technique for investigations in nano-scale is applied to secondary copper smelting slag with the aim to understand melting mechanism and phase development within the material: in situ transmission electron microscopy at high temperatures. Heating the material step by step with accompanying EDX analysis allows detailed tracking of phase transformations, including changes in chemical composition. The behavior of Cu nano-spheres as well as Fe and Zn in different phases is described in detail. Evaporation of Cu, Fe and Zn is compared to available thermodynamic data, showing relatively good agreement for Cu and Fe, but different results for Zn. The observation of liquid Fe formation is a new phenomenon, which needs further investigation. High temperature transmission electron microscopy is found to be a suitable method for certain research questions, when taking limiting factors like vacuum conditions and electron beam effects into account.
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