Abstract
In the present study, the effect of cerium content in the range of 0~0.0676% on oxygen and sulfur content, as well as the quantity, size, distribution, and type of inclusions in C104Cr saw wire steel, were investigated using thermodynamic analysis, metallographic examination, SEM-EDS, and component analysis. The results showed that conducting a vacuum carbon pre-deoxidization process is helpful in preventing the formation of Ce2O3 inclusions in a smelting experiment, and cerium has a beneficial effect in terms of modifying inclusions. When the content of cerium in steel is 0.0136% or 0.0277%, the main inclusions in the steel are Ce2O2S and CeS, and when the content of cerium is 0.0389% or above, the inclusions in the steel are Ce2O2S, CeS, Ce–S–O–P(As), Ce–O–P, and Ce–P(As). The calculation of the segregation model showed that the precipitation of CeP and CeAs in steel takes place at the end of solidification. According to the element mapping distribution diagram of Ce–S–O–P(As) and the layered Ce–O–P inclusions found in steel with high cerium content, two possible mechanisms for the formation of Ce2O3 inclusions distributed in the outer layer of cerium composite inclusions are proposed. The first mechanism suggests that Ce2O3 inclusions are generated from the combination of [Ce] and [O] directly, and the second suggests that Ce2O3 is the product of an oxidization reaction after the formation of CeP.
Highlights
Saw wire is generally used to cut silicon wafers for the solar photovoltaic industry, and it is a key consumable material in silicon wafer wire cutting technology [1,2]
When the dynamic conditions are favorable to the inclusions floating on the molten steel surface, the existing inclusions can be sufficiently removed from the steel, improving the cleanness of the steel
The results show that the cerium is distributed throughout the inclusions and the sulfur, arsenic, phosphorus, and oxygen are distributed from the inner layer to the outer layer, respectively
Summary
Saw wire is generally used to cut silicon wafers for the solar photovoltaic industry, and it is a key consumable material in silicon wafer wire cutting technology [1,2]. Saw wire steels should be manufactured with ultra-high cleanness and high strength in order to achieve a fine diameter, low breaking rate, and other strict requirements. The saw wire market has developed very rapidly, with the diameters varying between 55 and 70 μm and tensile strengths reaching 4500 MPa in the last two years. With the development of the saw wire market, saw wire is predicted to advance towards finer diameters and higher strengths [2]. The cleanness of the saw wire steel needs to be rigidly controlled in two respects: Firstly, the total number of inclusions should be as low as possible; secondly, large-sized inclusions should be removed as much as possible [3]. Exorbitant RE content will result in a large number
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