Densification mechanism of porous alumina plugs by molten steel with different oxygen levels

Liugang Chen, Annelies Malfliet, Lichun Zheng, Peter Tom Jones, Bart Blanpain, Muxing Guo

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

To investigate the densification of porous alumina plugs, hydrogen measurements, using the Hydris probe system, were performed in molten steel with different oxygen levels at around 1600 °C. The oxygen contents in molten steel were controlled by Al and Fe-Si alloy additions to 664, 296, 92, 51 and 2.5 ppm, respectively. High oxygen levels (> = 92 ppm) in molten steel were found to favor the infiltration of steel into porous alumina plug. The infiltrating steel interacts with SiO2-containing phases and Al2O3 inside the plug, forming liquid FeOn-Al2O3-SiO2 slag and FeAl2O4 (hercynite). These newly formed phases, along with the infiltrating steel fill the porous structure of the alumina plugs. As a result, severe densification was observed inside the alumina plugs in contact with molten steel containing high oxygen levels. In comparison, no densification occurred in the plugs contacting with the steel having low oxygen contents of 51 and 2.5 ppm.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2662-2670
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of the European Ceramic Society
Volume38
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2018 Jun

Keywords

  • Densification
  • Hydrogen probe measurements
  • Porous alumina
  • Refractory
  • Steel

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Ceramics and Composites
  • Materials Chemistry

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