Abstract:
The wetting characteristic of mold flux is an important factor affecting the surface quality of low-density steel billets. By using a high-temperature contact angle measuring instrument in combination with interfacial structure characterization, the effects of(CaO+BaO)/Al
2O
3 mass ratio and substitution of B
2O
3 for SiO
2 on the wetting characteristic between CaO-Al
2O
3-based mold flux and low-density steel are studied. Results show that as the(CaO+BaO)/Al
2O
3 mass ratio increases from 0.87 to 1.59 and B
2O
3 gradually replaces SiO
2, the initial temperature at which the contact angle begins to rapidly reduce decreases from 1 480 ℃ to 1 330 ℃, 1 170 ℃, and first decreases from 1 300 ℃ to 1 170 ℃ and then increases to 1 180 ℃, respectively. The evolution behavior of contact angle and adhesion work is similar to the change in temperature. As the(CaO+BaO)/Al
2O
3 mass ratio increases, the thickness of element diffusion layer at the steel-slag interface increases from 1 μm to 5 μm. As B
2O
3 replaces SiO
2, the thickness of element diffusion layer at the interface first decreases from 9 μm to 5 μm and then increases to 15 μm. Mn diffuses and transfers from the steel matrix to the interface, and its content gradually decreases. Al diffuses and transfers from the steel matrix to the interface, and due to the high Al content in the slag at the interface, its content shows an increasing trend. The change of Si content is not obvious. Based on this, the mass ratio of(CaO+BaO)/Al
2O
3 is controlled at around 1.59, and the contents of B
2O
3 and SiO
2 are controlled at 5%, which are conducive to maintaining the low reactivity of mold flux and improving its wetting characteristics with low-density steel.