S. M. Miresmaeili and S. Shabestari,
Volume 25, Issue 1 (7-2006)
Abstract
The formation of microporosity in modified Al-Si alloys has been reviewed in the present study. A major concern in modification is the increased tendency to form microporosity in the macro-shrinkage free Al-Si alloy castings. It has also been demonstrated that at low hydrogen contents (0.1cc/ 100g, Al), where only shrinkage porosity should occur, the effect of Sr-modification on porosity content is not considerable, indicating that the increase in porosity is due to an increase in gas porosity. Modification treatment, however, does not add hydrogen to the melt, nor does it increase the rate of regassing of the liquid, revealing that it can not enhance pore formation by increasing the melt hydrogen content. Modification treatment raises the freezing range (4-10 oC), but this increased freezing range exerts only a very small effect on microporosity formation, which cannot, by itself, explain the increased tendency to microporosity formation observed in modified alloys. The presence of modifiers slightly decreases the surface tension of the melt (5%), although this decrease in surface tension is not sufficiently high to considerably enhance pore formation in modified alloys. Many researchers have reported that modification treatment might favour the formation of porosity due to its effect on oxide use in the heterogeneous pore formation although the systematic observation of pores has shown that SrO does not take part in pore fomation in Sr-modified alloys. Strontium and other modifiers which increase pore formation (Na and Ca) in Al-Si alloys have a high chemical affinity to form complex intermetallic compounds with Si and Al. Systematic observation of pores have shown that Sr-rich intermetallics take part in pore formation. Thus, Sr-modification may increase the porosity content through the formation of Sr-rich compounds during solidification.
H. Tavakoli, M. Soltanieh, H. Aghajani, M. Jafarpour,
Volume 34, Issue 1 (5-2015)
Abstract
This study was intended to investigate the effect of injection of aluminium into the crystallizator on type, composition and activity of inclusions in low carbon steel grade USD7. The steel is made in Zob-e-Ahan Isfahan factory and its porosities and inclusions results in the problem of rupturing during rolling process. To improve the quality of this steel, 2.4 mm diameter pure aluminum wires were injected in to the crystallizator at the rate of 2, 4, 6 or 8 m/min in certain periods and then sampling was done. The results indicated that much of the added aluminum changed to aluminum oxide slag, and the remaining part altered the chemical composition of the inclusions. Increased aluminum caused an increase in the activity of alumina and reduction in the activity of other oxides in the slag and existing inclusions in the melt. By increasing Al2O3 activity from 0.313 to 0.649, the Al2O3 formation and oxygen exclusion probability increased in the system. Scanning electron microscopy showed that without aluminium injection, most of inclusions were FeO-MnO type placed around existing porosities in the ingot. The optimum rate of aluminum injection was found to be 4 m/min.
