Predictive models for molten slags viscosity and electrical conductivity based on directed chemical bonds concept

ABSTRACT

The effect of the metallurgical slags composition on their physical properties was studied employing the Directed Chemical Bonds Concept (DCBC). It provides an effective concentration and convolution of the ab-initio information on the type of bonds in multicomponent systems. The predictive models for viscosity (lnη) and electrical conductivity (lnχ) of CaF₂-Al₂O₃-CaO slag system have been built. Slag is a crucial part of various metallurgical processes. The electroslag remelting (ESR) is the best example because its efficiency and resulting ingot soundness strongly depend on slag properties. For the two slags (with 1.5 and 3% SiO₂), the condition of stable homogeneous structure (activation energies ratio Eη/Eχ ≤1) has been satisfied in the widest temperature range (1513–1773 K) with a suitable viscosity (0.02–0.09 Pa∙s) and electrical conductivity (100–270 1/Ohm∙m). The DCBC makes it possible to move from the empirical selection to the target-oriented design of a proper slag with specific physical properties.

KEYWORDS:

• Slag
• viscosity
• electrical conductivity
• homogeneous structure
• predictive models
• activation energy
• directed chemical bonds concept
• electroslag remelting

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).