Thermodynamics of the oxygen solutions in manganese-containing Fe-Co melts

Thermodynamic analysis of the oxygen solutions in manganese-containing Fe-Co melts has been performed. The equilibrium constants of deoxidation reaction of iron-cobalt melts with manganese, the activity coefficients during infinity dilution, and the interaction parameters in various melts are found. During the deoxidation of manganese-containing Fe-Co melts, the oxide phase contains FeO and CoO along with MnO. The compositions of the oxide phase above Fe-Co-Mn-O melts are calculated. When the cobalt and manganese contents in the melts increase, the mole fraction of manganese oxide increases, and it approaches 1 in the case of pure cobalt. The dependences of the oxygen solubility in the melts on the cobalt and manganese contents are calculated. The deoxidizing capacity of manganese increases substantially with increasing cobalt content in the melt. The curves of oxygen solubility in Fe-Co melts have minima, whose values shift toward low manganese content in a melt. The manganese contents are determined at the minimum points in the oxygen solubility curves, and the corresponding minimum oxygen contents are found.     

Thermodynamics of the oxygen solutions in aluminum-containing Fe-Co melts

Thermodynamic analysis of aluminum-containing Fe-Co melts is performed. The equilibrium constants of the deoxidation of iron-cobalt melts with aluminum, the activity coefficients during infinite dilution, and the interaction parameters in melts with various compositions are determined. The oxygen solubility in the melts under study is studied as a function of the cobalt and aluminum contents. Aluminum is characterized by a very high affinity to oxygen in iron-cobalt melts. The deoxidizing capacity of aluminum substantially increases with the cobalt content in the melt. The curves of the oxygen solubility in aluminum-containing iron-cobalt melts have a minimum, whose position shifts to lower aluminum contents as the cobalt content in the melt increases. Further aluminum additions increase the oxygen concentration in the melt: the higher the cobalt content in the melt, the sharper the increase in the oxygen concentration after the minimum when aluminum is added to the melt. The aluminum contents at the minimum points in the oxygen solubility curves are determined, and the corresponding minimum oxygen concentrations are found.     

Thermodynamics of the oxygen solutions in boron-containing Fe–Co melts

A thermodynamic analysis of the oxygen solutions in boron-containing Fe–Co melts has been performed. The equilibrium constant of reaction between boron and oxygen, which are dissolved in iron–cobalt melts; the activity coefficients at infinite dilution; and the interaction parameters for melts differing in composition have been determined. The oxide phase formed in the Fe–Co melts containing boron and oxygen comprises FeO and CoO along with the B₂O₃ phase. The oxide phase compositions over Fe–Co–B–O melts are calculated. As the cobalt and boron contents in the melts increase, the mole fraction of boron oxide increases; in the case of pure cobalt, it is close to unity. The dependences of the oxygen solubility on the cobalt and boron contents in the melts are calculated. The deoxidizing capacity of boron substantially increases as the cobalt content in a melt increases. The composition dependences of the oxygen solubility in boron-containing Fe–Co melts have a minimum, which shifts to a low boron content as the cobalt content in the melts increases. The boron contents corresponding to the minimum in the oxygen solubility curves and the minimum oxygen concentrations corresponding to the boron contents are determined.     

Thermodynamics of the oxygen solutions in the aluminum-containing Ni–Co melts

A thermodynamic analysis of the oxygen solutions in the aluminum-containing Ni–Co melts has been performed. The equilibrium constants of reactions of aluminum deoxidation of nickel-cobalt melts, the activity coefficients at infinite dilution, and the interaction parameters for the melts differing in composition at 1873 K have been determined for the first time. The dependences of the oxygen solubility on the cobalt and aluminum contents in the melts are calculated. The deoxidizing capacity of aluminum slightly varies as the cobalt content in a melt increases to 20%; at higher cobalt contents in the melts, it increases substantially. The aluminum contents at the minima in the oxygen solubility curves and the oxygen contents corresponding to the aluminum contents have been determined.     

Thermodynamics of the oxygen solutions in chromium-containing Ni–Co melts

A thermodynamic analysis of the oxygen solutions in chromium-containing Ni–Co melts at 1873 K has been performed. The equilibrium constants of reactions between chromium and oxygen, the activity coefficients at infinite dilution, and the interaction parameters for melts differing in composition have been determined. The dependences of the oxygen solubility on the cobalt and chromium contents in the melts are calculated. The deoxidizing capacity of chromium slightly decreases as the cobalt content in the melt increases. The composition dependences of the oxygen solubility in the chromium-containing Ni–Co melts have a minimum, which shifts to a high boron content as the cobalt content in the melts increases. The further increase in the chromium addition leads to an increase in the oxygen content in the melt.     

Thermodynamics of the oxygen solutions in iron-nickel melts

The oxygen solutions in Fe-Ni melts containing chromium, manganese, vanadium, carbon, silicon, titanium, or aluminum are studied thermodynamically. The equilibrium constants of the deoxidation of the melts by these elements are determined, and the activity coefficients for infinite dilution and the interaction parameters in alloys of various compositions are found. The oxygen solubilities in the alloys are calculated as a function of the nickel and deoxidizer contents. The deoxidizer contents at the minima in the oxygen solubility curves for the melts are determined, and the corresponding minimum oxygen concentrations are calculated. As the nickel content in the system increases, the deoxidizing capacities of chromium, manganese, and silicon are shown to increase substantially, and the deoxidizing capacity of carbon increases most strongly. As the nickel content in the melt increases, the deoxidizing capacities of vanadium and titanium first decrease insignificantly and then increase substantially. As the nickel content in the melt increases to 50%, the deoxidizing capacity of aluminum first decreases and then increases; in pure nickel, it is identical to that in pure iron.     

Thermodynamics of the oxygen solutions in zirconium-containing iron-nickel melts

Thermodynamic analysis of the oxygen solutions in zirconium-containing iron-nickel melts is carried out. The equilibrium deoxidation constants of the melts by zirconium, the activity coefficients at infinite dilution, and the interaction parameters in melts of various compositions are determined. The dependences of the oxygen solubility in the melts on the nickel or zirconium content are calculated. Zirconium is shown to possess a very high deoxidizing capacity in iron-nickel alloys. The zirconium contents at the minima in oxygen solubility curves and the corresponding minimum oxygen concentrations are determined. As the nickel content in a melt increases to ∼45%, the deoxidizing capacity of zirconium decreases and, then, increases. The deoxidizing capacity of zirconium in pure nickel is noticeably higher than that in pure iron.     

Thermodynamics of the oxygen solutions in niobium-containing Fe-Ni melts

A thermodynamic analysis is performed for the oxygen solutions in niobium-containing Fe-Ni melts. The deoxidizing capacity of niobium in iron??nickel melts is shown to be low. It decreases slightly as the nickel content in a melt increases to 40% and then increases insignificantly as the nickel content increases to 60%; a further increase in the nickel content leads to a marked increase in the deoxidizing capacity. The solubility curves of oxygen in iron??nickel melts passes through a minimum, whose position shifts toward higher niobium concentrations with increasing nickel content. Subsequent niobium additions increase the oxygen concentration in the melt. The equilibrium constants of the reactions of niobium deoxidizing of iron??nickel melts, the activity coefficients, and the interaction parameters characterizing Fe-Ni-Nb-O melts are determined.     

Thermodynamics of oxygen solutions in the complex reduction of Fe-Co melts

Thermodynamic analysis of the complex reduction of metal melts is considered. The proposed analytical method identifies the influence of the weaker reducing agent in amplifying the effect of the stronger reagent. The curves of oxygen solubility pass through a minimum. Analysis of the extremal curves of oxygen concentration in the melt as a function of the content of reducing agents yields a formula for the content of the stronger reducing agent such that the oxygen concentration is minimal. Thermodynamic analysis of the combined influence of aluminum and silicon on the oxygen solubility in Fe-Co melts indicates that the reaction products may contain both mullite (3Al₂O₃ · 2SiO₂) and kyanite (Al₂O₃ · SiO₂). The presence of silicon in the melt intensifies the reducing action of aluminum: slightly when mullite is formed and significantly when kyanite is formed. When kyanite is formed, the curves of oxygen solubility pass through a minimum, whose position depends on the aluminum content in the melt but not on the silicon content. The aluminum content at the minimum declines slightly from iron to cobalt, as for Fe-Co-Al systems. Further addition of aluminum elevates the oxygen concentration. The formation of the compounds Al₂O₃, 3Al₂O₃ · 2SiO₂, Al₂O₃ · SiO₂, and SiO₂ is investigated as a function of the Al and Si content in the melt.     

Thermodynamics of Oxygen Solution in Fe–Ni Melts Containing Boron

Fe–Ni alloys are widely used in engineering today. They are sometimes alloyed with boron. Oxygen is a harmful impurity in Fe–Ni alloys. It may be present in dissolved form or as nonmetallic inclusions. The presence of oxygen in Fe–Ni alloys impairs their performance. Research on the thermodynamics of oxygen solutions in Fe–Ni melts containing boron is of considerable interest in order to improve alloy production. The present work offers a thermodynamic analysis of solutions of oxygen in Fe–Ni melts containing boron. The equilibrium constant of the reaction between boron and oxygen dissolved in the melt in such systems is determined. The activity coefficients at infinite dilution and the interaction parameters in melts of different composition are also calculated. When boron reacts with oxygen in Fe–Ni melts, the oxide phase contains not only B₂O₃ but also FeO and NiO. The mole fractions of B₂O₃, FeO, and NiO in the oxide phase are calculated for different boron concentrations in Fe–Ni melts at 1873 K. For iron melts with low boron content, the mole fraction of boron oxide is ~0.1. With increase in the nickel and boron content in the melts, the boron-oxide content in the oxide phase increases. Its mole fraction is close to one for pure nickel. The solubility of oxygen in Fe–Ni melts is calculated as a function of the nickel and boron content. The deoxidizing ability of the boron improve significantly with increase in nickel content in the melt. The curves of oxygen solubility in Fe?Ni melts containing boron pass through a minimum, which is shifted to higher boron content with increase in nickel content in the melt. The boron content at the minima on the curves of oxygen solubility are determined, as well as the corresponding minimum oxygen concentrations.     

Oxygen Solubility in Fe–Co Melts Containing Carbon

In thermodynamic analysis of solutions of oxygen in Fe–Co melts containing carbon, the equilibrium constants of reactions between carbon and oxygen are determined, as well as the activity coefficients at infinite dilution and the interaction parameters in melts of different composition at 1873 K. The dependence of oxygen solubility in such melts on the cobalt and carbon content is calculated. In iron–cobalt melts, carbon has high oxygen affinity. The deoxidizing ability of carbon increase significantly with increase in cobalt content in the melt. In pure cobalt, it is more than an order of magnitude greater than in pure iron. Deoxidation by carbon produces gaseous oxides: carbon monoxide (CO) and dioxide (CO₂). The reaction of carbon and oxygen dissolved in the melt and hence the deoxidizing ability of carbon depend on the total gas pressure above the melt. Decrease in gas pressure significantly improves the reducing properties of carbon. The minimum oxygen concentration for alloys of the same composition is reduced by practically an order of magnitude with tenfold decrease in the total gas pressure. The gas composition above Fe–Co melts and the equilibrium carbon and oxygen concentrations in the melt are calculated with total gas pressures of 1.0, 0.1, and 0.01 atm. The optimal oxygen concentration (1–10 ppm) in Fe–Co melts is reached at carbon concentrations between 0.01 and 1% depending on the total gas pressure (0.01–1 atm). The solubility of oxygen in iron–cobalt melts containing carbon passes through a minimum, which is shifted to lower carbon content with increase in the melt’s cobalt content. Further additions of carbon increase the oxygen concentrations in the melt. With increase in cobalt content, this increase will be sharper.     

Solubility of oxygen in carbon-bearing Fe-Ni melts

Oxygen solutions in carbon-bearing Fe-Ni melts are analyzed thermodynamically. The equilibrium oxygen concentrations in Fe-Ni alloys in the presence of carbon have been determined for the first time over a wide composition range and a wide range of the partial pressures of carbon mono-and dioxides. As the carbon concentration increases, the oxygen concentration decreases in melts of all compositions. As the nickel content in the melt increases, the equilibrium oxygen concentration decreases at the same carbon concentration. The difference in the oxygen concentrations in iron and nickel at the same carbon concentration is almost two orders of magnitude, which can be explained by the substantial weakening of the bonding forces of oxygen in the melt and the less pronounced weakening of the bonding forces of carbon atoms with increasing nickel content. The oxygen solubility curves pass through a minimum, whose position changes with the nickel content from 2.443% C for pure iron to 2.842% C for pure nickel. The solubility of oxygen in a Fe-40% Ni melt is experimentally studied at various carbon contents. The experimental results agree well with the calculated data.     

Solubility of oxygen in Fe–Co melts containing titanium

Solutions of oxygen in Fe–Co melts containing titanium are subjected to thermodynamic analysis. The first step is to determine the equilibrium reaction constants of titanium and oxygen, the activity coefficients at infinite dilution, and the interaction parameters in melts of different composition at 1873 K. With increase in cobalt content, the equilibrium reaction constants of titanium and oxygen decline from iron (logK(FeO · TiO₂) =–7.194; logK(TiO₂) =–6.125; logK(Ti₃O₅) =–16.793; logK(Ti₂O₃) =–10.224) to cobalt (logK(CoO · TiO₂) =–8.580; logK(TiO₅) =–7.625; logK(Ti₃O₅) =–20.073; logK(Ti₂O₃) =–12.005). The titanium concentrations at the equilibrium points between the oxide phases (Fe, Co)O · TiO₂, TiO₂, Ti₃O₅, and Ti₂O₃ are determined. The titanium content at the equilibrium point (Fe, Co)O · TiO₂ ? TiO₂ decreases from 1.0 × 10^–4% Ti in iron to 1.9 × 10^–6% Ti in cobalt. The titanium content at the equilibrium point TiO₂?Ti₃O₅ increases from 0.0011% Ti in iron to 0.0095% Ti in cobalt. The titanium content at the equilibrium point Ti₃O₅ ? Ti₂O₃ decreases from 0.181%Ti in iron to 1.570% Ti in cobalt. The solubility of oxygen in the given melts is calculated as a function of the cobalt and titanium content. The deoxidizing ability of titanium decline with increase in Co content to 20% and then rise at higher Co content. In iron and its alloys with 20% and 40% Co, the deoxidizing ability of titanium are practically the same. The solubility curves of oxygen in iron-cobalt melts containing titanium pass through a minimum, whose position shifts to lower Ti content with increase in the Co content. Further addition of titanium increases the oxygen content in the melt. With higher Co content in the melt, the oxygen content in the melt increases more sharply beyond the minimum, as further titanium is added.     

Thermodynamics of the oxygen solutions in Fe-Ni-Ti melts

The oxygen solutions in Fe-Ni melts containing up to 3% titanium are analyzed thermodynamically. The results of the works that determined the fields of the oxide phases in iron and nickel deoxidized by titanium are generalized. The proposed calculation model is shown to adequately describe the titanium deoxidation of iron-nickel alloys. The deoxidizing capacity of titanium decreases as the nickel content in the melt increases to 40% and, then, increases sharply as the nickel content increases further. The oxygen solubility curves pass through a minimum, whose position changes from 0.5644% Ti for pure iron to 0.6332% Ti for pure nickel. The points of equilibrium between the TiO₂, Ti₃O₅, and Ti₂O₃ oxide phases are determined for six alloy compositions at 1873 K. The titanium deoxidation of Fe-40% Ni melts is experimentally studied, and the calculated and experimental results are in good agreement.     

Thermodynamics of Oxygen Solutions in Ni–Cr Melts Containing Aluminum

The influence of aluminum on the solubility of oxygen in Ni–Cr melts is considered on the basis of thermodynamic analysis. Very low aluminum concentrations have practically no influence on the oxygen concentration in the melt, which is determined by the chromium content. When the aluminum content exceeds 0.01%, it determines the solubility of oxygen in the melt, in all cases. The minimum oxygen concentration corresponds to about 0.2% Al. With increase in chromium content in the melt, the minimum oxygen concentration increases. It is 2 × 10^–3%, 7 × 10^–3%, and 10^–2% for nickel alloys with 10%, 20%, and 30% Cr, respectively.     

Thermodynamics of oxygen solutions in Fe-Ni-V melts

The oxygen solutions in Fe-Ni melts with up to 5% V are analyzed thermodynamically. The results of the works in which the fields of the vanadium-deoxidized oxide phases in iron and nickel were determined are generalized. The thermodynamic model developed for the calculation of the deoxidation of iron-nickel alloys with vanadium is shown to be adequate. The deoxidizing capacity of vanadium decreases insignificantly as the nickel content in the melt increases to 20% and increases substantially as the nickel content increases further. The oxygen solubility curves pass through a minimum, whose position changes from 2.3192% V for pure iron to 0.7669% V for pure nickel. We determined the equilibrium point [V]* between the (Fe, Ni)V₂O₄ and V₂O₃ oxide phases for alloys of six compositions at 1873 K. In nickel, [V]* is almost 200 times lower than in iron. The deoxidation of the Fe-40% Ni melt with vanadium is studied experimentally, and the experimental results agree satisfactorily with the calculated data.     

Deoxidation with silicon and the control of oxide inclusions in electrical steels

The oxygen solubility in Fe-Si melts in equilibrium with SiO₂ at 1873 K has been determined in a concentration range of 0.1–70 wt % Si. Model alloys are melted in quartz crucibles in an argon atmosphere. The oxygen content in analytical samples is determined by the inert-gas reducing-fusion method after careful sample preparation. The results obtained have been processed using a thermodynamic model that can calculate the oxygen activity and solubility in Fe-Si melts up to 100 wt % Si. The effects of the heating rate and the silicon content on the carbon concentration in carbonyl iron and Fe-Si alloys are studied using the inert-gas reducing-fusion method in the temperature range 1673–2373 K. Oriented electrical steels are investigated using fractional gas analysis. The main forms of oxygen in these steels are found to be silicates, Al₂O₃, and MgAl₂O₄.     

Solubility of Li<Subscript>2</Subscript>O in an LiCl–KCl Melt

The phase diagrams of the binary LiCl–Li₂O system and the quasi-binary [LiCl–KCl]–Li₂O systems containing 10 and 20 mol % KCl have been built using thermal analysis of cooling curves and isothermal saturation curves. The solubility of Li₂O in LiCl–KCl melts is determined in the temperature range 500–800°C. The solubility of Li₂O in the melts LiCl, LiCl–KCl (10 mol %) and LiCl–KCl (20 mol %) decreases as the KCl content increases;at 650°C, it is 11.5, 7.7, and 3.9 mol %, respectively.     

Effect of chromium on the hydrogen solubility in liquid ternary iron-cobalt-chromium alloys

The experimentally determined hydrogen solubilities (Sieverts’ method) in liquid iron–cobalt–chromium melts were described based on own already published empirical equations and applying the regression analysis (Gauß-Jordan). The experimental results are represented as perspective isothermal planes. Addition of chromium increases the hydrogen solubilities. The hydrogen solubility increases with increasing temperature. The concentration dependencies of the interaction coefficients, enthalpies and entropies of hydrogen solution were calculated from the experimentally determined hydrogen solubility. Assuming a concentration dependence of the model parameter “λ” of the “Central Atoms” model the hydrogen solubilities in ternary iron-cobalt-chromium (x_cr ≤ 20%) melts were predicted. These predictions were made using the own experimentally determined hydrogen solubilities of the binary system iron-cobalt (x_Co ≤ 100%) and iron–chromium (x_Cr ≤ 25%) with iron, and referred to the other two binary systems cobalt–iron (x_Fθ ≤ 100%) and cobalt–chromium (x_cr ≤ 20%) with cobalt as “reference element”. The predicted hydrogen solubilities were compared with the own experimentally determined hydrogen solubilities. The deviations between these two results are less than 2%.     

Advancing and Receding Contact Angles of Tin and Its Alloys on the Surface of a Solidified Glass Mass

The temperature dependence of advancing and receding contact angles has been determined for tin and its alloys with silicon, aluminum, and iron on the surface of a solidified glass mass. The advancing and receding contact angles of melts containing iron differ from those of melts containing silicon and aluminum. The difference becomes more pronounced in the low-temperature range as the iron content in the melt increases.