Abstract
The influence of mischmetal, an alloy of two major rare-earth (RE) elements Ce and La, on alumina inclusions’ modification in low-carbon aluminum-killed (LCAK) steel was investigated in a series of laboratory experiments. Four different samples were prepared containing 0, 160, 260, and 441 ppm mischmetal. Inclusion analysis was carried out using automated FESEM–EDS feature analysis and inclusion classifier software. In untreated sample, clustered alumina inclusions were observed, while inclusions were de-clustered and homogeneously distributed in mischmetal-treated samples. The final transformed inclusion was found to be a composite inclusion with alumina at the core and RE-rich sulfide at the periphery as sulfur ring, which corroborates with thermodynamic analysis by FactSage software. However, low addition (160 ppm) of RE resulted in incomplete alumina modification (incomplete coverage of alumina by Sulfur ring), while high addition (410 ppm) resulted in the formation of bigger composite inclusions. On statistical analysis, the mean aspect ratio, mean length, and mean ECD (equivalent circular diameter) values were reduced significantly in RE-treated sample. 260 ppm RE content in LCAK steel was found to be optimum for evolution of spherical inclusion with a Sulfur ring. A shrinking core model was developed based on the FactSage-predicted inclusion evolution with temperatures to understand the mechanism of inclusion modification. The kinetic result also indicated a critical radius beyond which inclusion modification was not possible during steel-processing period.
Graphical Abstract
Similar content being viewed by others
References
L. Holappa and A. Helle: J. Mater. Process. Technol., 1995, vol. 53, pp. 177–86.
A.L.V. Da Costa and E. Silva: J. Mater. Res. Technol., 2018, vol. 7, pp. 283–99.
N. Verma, P.C. Pistorius, R.J. Fruehan, M. Potter, M. Lind, and S.R. Story: Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 2011, vol. 42B, pp. 720–29.
W. Yang, L. Zhang, X. Wang, Y. Ren, X. Liu, and Q. Shan: ISIJ Int., 2013, vol. 53, pp. 1401–10.
C. Luo and U. Ståhlberg: J. Mater. Process. Technol., 2001, vol. 114, pp. 87–97.
M. Wang, W. Xiao, P. Gan, C. Gu, and Y.P. Bao: Metals (Basel), 2020, vol. 10, pp. 1–15.
T.J. Baker, K.B. Gave, and J.A. Charles: Met. Technol., 1976, vol. 3, pp. 183–93.
W.M. Garrison and A.L. Wojcieszynski: Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2007, vol. 464, pp. 321–29.
J. Guan, L. Wang, C. Zhang, and X. Ma: Tribol. Int., 2017, vol. 106, pp. 123–31.
R.S. Qi, M. Jin, X.G. Liu, and B.F. Guo: J. Iron. Steel Res. Int., 2016, vol. 23, pp. 531–38.
X. Liu, C. Wang, J. Gui, Q. Xiao, and B. Guo: Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2019, vol. 746, pp. 239–47.
H. Ahmad, B. Zhao, S. Lyu, Z. Huang, Y. Xu, S. Zhao, and X. Ma: Metals (Basel), 2021, vol. 11, pp. 1–13.
N. Ånmark, A. Karasev, and P.G. Jönsson: Materials (Basel), 2015, vol. 8, pp. 751–83.
T. Lis: Metalurgija, 2009, vol. 48, pp. 95–98.
X. Li, X. Long, L. Wang, S. Tong, X. Wang, Y. Zhang, and Y. Li: Materials (Basel), 2020, vol. 13, pp. 1–13.
B. Kumar, S. Mishra, M.B.V. Rao, and G.G. Roy: Ironmak. Steelmak., 2019, vol. 46, pp. 454–62.
H. Torkamani, S. Raygan, C.G. Mateo, J. Rassizadehghani, J. Vivas, Y. Palizdar, and D. San-Martin: Metals (Basel), 2017, vol. 7, pp. 377–93.
C. Wang, R. Ma, Y. Zhou, Y. Liu, E.F. Daniel, X. Li, P. Wang, J. Dong, and W. Ke: J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2021, vol. 93, pp. 232–43.
N. Kippenhan and K.A. Gschneidner: Rare-Earth Metals in Steels, Rare-Earth Information Center, Institute of Atomic Research U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, Washington, DC, 1970.
J. Lan, J. He, W. Ding, Q. Wang, and Y. Zhu: ISIJ Int., 2000, vol. 40, pp. 1275–82.
H. Wang, Y. Niu, H. Ling, J. Qiao, Y. Zhang, W. Zhong, and S. Qiu: Metals (Basel), 2023, vol. 13, pp. 1–14.
F.J. Lan, C.L. Zhuang, C.R. Li, H. Yang, G.K. Yang, H.J. Yao, and Z.Z. Zhang: Steel Res. Int., 2023, vol. 94, pp. 1–12.
B. Li, H. Zhu, J. Zhao, M. Song, J. Li, and Z. Xue: Steel Res. Int., 2022, vol. 93, pp. 1–9.
S. Luo, Z. Shen, Z. Yu, W. Wang, and M. Zhu: Steel Res. Int., 2021, vol. 92, pp. 1–9.
Q. Ren and L. Zhang: Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 2020, vol. 51B, pp. 589–600.
C. Pan, X. Hu, P. Lin, and K. Chou: ISIJ Int., 2020, vol. 60, pp. 1878–85.
Q. Wang, L.J. Wang, Y.Q. Liu, and K.C. Chou: J. Min. Metall. B, 2017, vol. 53, pp. 365–72.
C. Zhuo, R. Liu, Z. Zhao, Y. Zhang, X. Hao, H. Wu, and Y. Sun: Metals (Basel), 2022, vol. 12, pp. 1–13.
H. Li, Y. Chong Yu, X. Ren, S. Hua Zhang, and S. Bin Wang: J. Iron. Steel Res. Int., 2017, vol. 24, pp. 925–34.
Y. Wang and C. Liu: Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 2020, vol. 51B, pp. 2585–95.
Q. Long, W. Wang, and X. Gao: Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 2023, vol. 54B, pp. 2552–63.
Y. Cao, Y. Miao, D. Li, Y. Chen, P. Fu, H. Liu, X. Kang, H. Liu, and C. Sun: Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 2022, vol. 53B, pp. 1858–74.
H. Wang, Y.P. Bao, J.G. Zhi, C.Y. Duan, S. Gao, and M. Wang: ISIJ Int., 2021, vol. 61, pp. 657–66.
B. Gao, Y. Liu, X. Chen, Z. Han, X. Xu, and Z. Wang: J. Mater. Res. Technol., 2023, vol. 27, pp. 2814–21.
J. Wang, J. Li, L. Wang, C. Chen, X. Wang, and F. Zhao: J. Mater. Res. Technol., 2023, vol. 27, pp. 7685–94.
Y. Xie, M. Song, H. Zhu, J. Li, G. Ma, and Z. Xue: Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 2022, vol. 53B, pp. 1484–94.
D. Bao, G. Cheng, Y. Huang, and T. Qiao: Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 2023, vol. 54B, pp. 944–58.
Y. Wang, C. Li, L. Wang, X. Xiong, L. Chen, and C. Zhuang: Metals (Basel), 2020, vol. 10, pp. 1–14.
Y. Liu, L. Wang, and K. Chou: J. Rare Earths, 2014, vol. 32, pp. 759–66.
W. Cheng, B. Song, Z. Yang, and J. Mao: Trans. Indian Inst. Met., 2022, vol. 75, pp. 2837–46.
C. Yang, Y. Luan, D. Li, and Y. Li: J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2019, vol. 35, pp. 1298–1308.
S. Zhang, Y. Yu, S. Wang, and H. Li: J. Rare Earths, 2017, vol. 35, pp. 518–24.
C. Yang, P. Liu, Y. Luan, D. Li, and Y. Li: Int. J. Fatigue, 2019, vol. 128, pp. 1–14.
W. Gong, C. Wang, P. Wang, Z. Jiang, R. Wang, and H. Li: J. Iron. Steel Res. Int., 2021, vol. 28, pp. 1408–16.
H. Torkamani, S. Raygan, C.G. Mateo, J. Rassizadehghani, Y. Palizdar, and D. San-Martin: Met. Mater. Int., 2018, vol. 24, pp. 773–88.
Q. Ren, L. Zhang, Y. Liu, L. Cui, and W. Yang: J. Mater. Res. Technol., 2020, vol. 9, pp. 8197–8206.
Y. Xie, M. Song, H. Zhu, G. Ma, J. Li, and Z. Xue: Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 2024, vol. 55B, pp. 576–88.
Z. Deng, Z. Liu, M. Zhu, and L. Huo: ISIJ Int., 2021, vol. 61, pp. 1–15.
L. Zheng, A. Malfliet, B. Yan, Z. Jiang, B. Blanpain, and M. Guo: ISIJ Int., 2022, vol. 62, pp. 1573–85.
S.K. Michelic and C. Bernhard: Steel Res. Int., 2022, vol. 93, pp. 1–18.
L. Zhang, L. Cheng, Y. Ren, and J. Zhang: Ceram. Int., 2020, vol. 46, pp. 15674–85.
Y. Kang, S. Jeong, J.H. Kang, and C. Lee: Metall. Mater. Trans. A, 2016, vol. 47A, pp. 2842–54.
X. Wang, Z. Wu, B. Li, W. Chen, J. Zhang, and J. Mao: J. Rare Earths, 2024, vol. 42, pp. 431–45.
Z. Adabavazeh, W.S. Hwang, and Y.H. Su: Sci. Rep., 2017, vol. 7, pp. 1–10.
O. Levenspiel: Chemical Reaction Engineering, 3rd ed. Wiley, Singapore, 1995, pp. 566–88.
Z. Xi, C. Li, and L. Wang: Materials (Basel), 2021, vol. 14, pp. 1–16.
Acknowledgments
The research is supported by a Research Grant from Indian Rare Earth Ltd (Sanction No. IRELTDC/OM/22-23, Dt. 21-09-2022). Nachiketa Yadav is also supported by the Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF) from the Ministry of Education, Government of India.
Conflict of interest
On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Yadav, N., Roy, G.G. Evolution of Inclusions and Their Statistics in Low-Carbon Aluminum-Killed (LCAK) Steel Treated with Mischmetal. Metall Mater Trans B (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11663-024-03052-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11663-024-03052-y