Effects of Cerium Addition on Inclusions and Solidification Structure of a Low-Nickel Si–Mn-Killed Stainless Steel

The effect of cerium on inclusions and solidification structure of a low-nickel Si–Mn-killed stainless steel is studied using laboratory experiments. When the cerium content in steel increased from 0 to 250 ppm, modification sequence of inclusions is Si–Mn(–Al)–O and MnS → Ce–Si–Mn–O–S → Ce(–Si)–O–S → CeS and CeC₂. The number density and area fraction of inclusion first decrease with the increase in the cerium content and then increase due to the formation of CeC₂ inclusions when the cerium content is bigger than 150 ppm, which is precipitated in solid steel during solidification. When the cerium content increases from 0 to 250 ppm, the fraction of equiaxed grain zones of steel ingot first increases and reaches a maximum value when the cerium content is 54 ppm; then the fraction of equiaxed grain zones decreases with the increase of the cerium content. 2D lattice misfit calculations are performed and it is found that there are no heterogeneous nucleation cores in the steel without cerium during solidification. For the steel with cerium, Ce_4.67Si₃O₁₃, Ce₂O₂S, and CeS inclusions act as heterogeneous nucleation cores, increasing the fraction of the equiaxed grain zone. Bigger effective heterogeneous nucleation cores number density leads to a larger fraction of the equiaxed grain zone.