Wettability and interfacial behavior between cerium containing stainless steel and MgO–Cr2O3-based lining refractory

Abstract

The wettability and interfacial behavior between MgO–Cr2O3-based refractories and stainless steels with and without cerium were investigated. For the Ce-free stainless steel, the contact angle of MgO–Cr2O3-based refractories with 15%, 30%, and 45% Cr2O3 was 130.9°, 136.5°, and 138.3°, respectively, while for the cerium containing stainless steel it was 137.8°, 143.7°, and 128.7°, respectively. The decrease of the Cr2O3 content in refractories promoted the Mg–Si–O interaction layer formed at the interface between stainless steels and refractories, lowering the contact angle. Adding cerium in stainless steel decreased the dissolved oxygen content, raising the contact angle. And it generated Ce–Cr–O oxides at the metal/refractory interface. With increasing the Cr2O3 content in refractories, the average thickness of Si–Mg–O and Ce–Cr–O complex interaction layer decreased first due to the thinner Si–Mg–O layer and then increased owing to the generation of more Ce–Cr–O oxides, resulting in a fluctuation of the contact angle.