Investigating the Origin of Non-Metallic Inclusions in Ti-Stabilized ULC Steels Using Different Tracing Techniques
Since steel cleanness comes to the fore of steel producers worldwide, it is necessary to understand the formation mechanism and modification of non-metallic inclusions (NMIs) in more detail. One central point is the identification of the source of especially interfering NMIs to prevent their evoluti...
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MDPI AG
2024-01-01
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Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/14/1/103 |
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author | Kathrin Thiele Christoph Truschner Christoph Walkner Thomas C. Meisel Sergiu Ilie Roman Rössler Susanne K. Michelic |
author_facet | Kathrin Thiele Christoph Truschner Christoph Walkner Thomas C. Meisel Sergiu Ilie Roman Rössler Susanne K. Michelic |
author_sort | Kathrin Thiele |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Since steel cleanness comes to the fore of steel producers worldwide, it is necessary to understand the formation mechanism and modification of non-metallic inclusions (NMIs) in more detail. One central point is the identification of the source of especially interfering NMIs to prevent their evolution in the future. The present study applies two approaches to determine the source of NMIs in Ti-stabilized ultra-low carbon (ULC) steels—the active and the passive tracing. Both approaches are applied to an industrial experiment. The active tracing technique is focused on investigating the clogging layer formation in submerged entry nozzles and, hence, the origin of alumina particles. This method adds rare earth elements (REEs) directly to the melt to mark pre-existing deoxidation products at a certain point of the steelmaking process. The main concern of the passive method, the so-called REE fingerprint, is the determination of the source of mesoscopic NMIs. For the REE fingerprint, the pre-existing concentration of REEs in different potential sources and the investigated NMIs are measured by using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). The resulting patterns are compared after normalizing the contents to chondrites, and the NMIs’ origins are identified. Concerning the EDS analysis and the resulting patterns from the REE fingerprint, the mold slag and, respectively, the casting powder were the sources of the investigated NMIs. |
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issn | 2075-4701 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-08T10:40:51Z |
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series | Metals |
spelling | doaj.art-ea1d1be0ec3b4da781ad153de5e1e51b2024-01-26T17:41:34ZengMDPI AGMetals2075-47012024-01-0114110310.3390/met14010103Investigating the Origin of Non-Metallic Inclusions in Ti-Stabilized ULC Steels Using Different Tracing TechniquesKathrin Thiele0Christoph Truschner1Christoph Walkner2Thomas C. Meisel3Sergiu Ilie4Roman Rössler5Susanne K. Michelic6Christian Doppler Laboratory for Inclusion Metallurgy in Advanced Steelmaking, Montanuniversitaet Leoben, Franz Josef–Straße 18, 8700 Leoben, Austriavoestalpine Stahl GmbH, voestalpine-Straße 3, 4020 Linz, AustriaChair of General and Analytical Chemistry, Montanuniversitaet Leoben, Franz Josef–Straße 18, 8700 Leoben, AustriaChair of General and Analytical Chemistry, Montanuniversitaet Leoben, Franz Josef–Straße 18, 8700 Leoben, Austriavoestalpine Stahl GmbH, voestalpine-Straße 3, 4020 Linz, Austriavoestalpine Stahl GmbH, voestalpine-Straße 3, 4020 Linz, AustriaChristian Doppler Laboratory for Inclusion Metallurgy in Advanced Steelmaking, Montanuniversitaet Leoben, Franz Josef–Straße 18, 8700 Leoben, AustriaSince steel cleanness comes to the fore of steel producers worldwide, it is necessary to understand the formation mechanism and modification of non-metallic inclusions (NMIs) in more detail. One central point is the identification of the source of especially interfering NMIs to prevent their evolution in the future. The present study applies two approaches to determine the source of NMIs in Ti-stabilized ultra-low carbon (ULC) steels—the active and the passive tracing. Both approaches are applied to an industrial experiment. The active tracing technique is focused on investigating the clogging layer formation in submerged entry nozzles and, hence, the origin of alumina particles. This method adds rare earth elements (REEs) directly to the melt to mark pre-existing deoxidation products at a certain point of the steelmaking process. The main concern of the passive method, the so-called REE fingerprint, is the determination of the source of mesoscopic NMIs. For the REE fingerprint, the pre-existing concentration of REEs in different potential sources and the investigated NMIs are measured by using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). The resulting patterns are compared after normalizing the contents to chondrites, and the NMIs’ origins are identified. Concerning the EDS analysis and the resulting patterns from the REE fingerprint, the mold slag and, respectively, the casting powder were the sources of the investigated NMIs.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/14/1/103non-metallic inclusionstracing techniquesrare earth elementsrare earth element fingerprint |
spellingShingle | Kathrin Thiele Christoph Truschner Christoph Walkner Thomas C. Meisel Sergiu Ilie Roman Rössler Susanne K. Michelic Investigating the Origin of Non-Metallic Inclusions in Ti-Stabilized ULC Steels Using Different Tracing Techniques Metals non-metallic inclusions tracing techniques rare earth elements rare earth element fingerprint |
title | Investigating the Origin of Non-Metallic Inclusions in Ti-Stabilized ULC Steels Using Different Tracing Techniques |
title_full | Investigating the Origin of Non-Metallic Inclusions in Ti-Stabilized ULC Steels Using Different Tracing Techniques |
title_fullStr | Investigating the Origin of Non-Metallic Inclusions in Ti-Stabilized ULC Steels Using Different Tracing Techniques |
title_full_unstemmed | Investigating the Origin of Non-Metallic Inclusions in Ti-Stabilized ULC Steels Using Different Tracing Techniques |
title_short | Investigating the Origin of Non-Metallic Inclusions in Ti-Stabilized ULC Steels Using Different Tracing Techniques |
title_sort | investigating the origin of non metallic inclusions in ti stabilized ulc steels using different tracing techniques |
topic | non-metallic inclusions tracing techniques rare earth elements rare earth element fingerprint |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/14/1/103 |
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