Structure, Growth Process, and Growth Mechanism of Perovskite in High-Titanium-Bearing Blast Furnace Slag

Abstract

The isothermal crystallization of perovskite in TiO2-CaO-SiO2-Al2O3-MgO high-titanium-bearing blast furnace slag was observed in situ at 1698 K (1425 °C) using a confocal scanning laser microscope. The dendrite structure of perovskite (CaTiO3) thus obtained showed vividly the primary dendrite trunks and secondary dendrite arms. Furthermore, the dendritic growth of perovskite in liquid slag was clearly observed on line. The results showed that the dendrite arrays in which the primary dendrite trunks observed on slag surface were parallel with each other grew toward the same direction. The secondary dendrite arms grew in the perpendicular direction with the primary trucks and stopped growing when they encounter. The perovskite dendrites showed a linear growth at two stages. The dendrites grew faster at early stage at about 5 to 7 μm/s and grew with a lower growth rate at about 1 to 2 μm/s in later stage. Finally, the growth mechanism of perovskite in melt was analyzed with the solidification theory. Based on the theoretical calculation of equilibrium phases in slag, the initial slag could be considered as a binary component system. One component was perovskite and the other component was the sum of all the other species that did not attend the crystallization of perovskite (included SiO2, Al2O3, and MgO, as well as CaO and TiO2 that were not involved in the solid formation). The formation of perovskite required the diffusion of CaO and TiO2 to the solid/liquid interface and the rejection of the other species from the interface. The solid/liquid equilibrium schematic diagram was made based on the calculation.