The interaction of carbon-bonded ceramics with Armco iron

Abstract

To investigate the possible reactions between carbon-bonded ceramics and liquid Armco iron, three types of carbon (10 wt% C) bonded ceramics Al2O3 rich spinel (C-AR78), MgO rich spinel (C-MR66), and CaO·6Al2O3 (C-CA6) were put into contact with liquid Armco iron at 1625 °C by using the sessile drop method. During the interaction experiments, the oxygen partial pressure values in the experimental chamber were monitored with an oxygen detector. Thereby, the oxygen partial pressures differed based on the used carbon-bonded ceramic. It was found that the iron samples after interaction experiments were covered by newly formed oxide layers, and oxide whiskers have grown at the interface with the ceramic substrates. The compositions of the newly formed oxide layers and whiskers were related to the applied ceramic substrates. Moreover, Al and C pick-up into the iron sample was observed. The obtained results were discussed with a thermodynamic simulation based on the available Al-Fe-Mg-O-database.