Flux entrapment and Titanium Nitride defects during electroslag remelting

Electroslag remelted (ESR) ingots of INCOLOY alloys 800 and 825 are particularly prone to macroscale slag inclusions and microscale cleanliness issues. Formation of these structures near the ingot surface can cause significant production yield losses (∼10%) due to the necessity of extensive surface grinding. Slag inclusions from near the outer radius of the toe end of alloy 800 and 825 ingots were found to be approximately 1 to 3 mm in size and have a multiphase microstructure consisting of CaF2, CaTiO3, MgAl 2O4, MgO and some combination of Ca12Al14 O32F2 and/or Ca12Al14O 33. These inclusions were often surrounded by fields of 1 to 10 μm cuboidal TiN particles. A large number of TiN cuboids were observed in the ESR electrode with similar size and morphology to those observed surrounding slag inclusions in the ESR ingots, suggesting that the TiN particles are relics from ESR electrode production process. Samples taken sequentially throughout the EAF-AOD processes showed that the TiN cuboidals that are found in ESR ingots form between tapping the AOD vessel into the AOD ladle and the casting of ESR electrodes. Analysis of slag skin at various heights of alloy 825 ingots revealed that the phase fraction of CaF2 decreased, whereas TiCaO 3 and Ca12Al14O32F2 increased, from toe to head. The observed increase in TiO2 content suggests that at most a two-fold increase in viscosity of the slag would be expected. Similar analysis of alloy 800 ingots did not reveal significant trends in slag skin composition, possibly due to differences in ingot geometry or the presence of Al toe additions during the remelting of alloy 800. Directional solidification experiments were conducted to determine the solidification sequences of two common ESR slags: Code 316 (33% CaF2, 33% CaO, and 33% Al2O3) and Code 59 (50% CaF2, 20% CaO, 22% Al2O3, 5% MgO, and 3% TiO2). In both cases the changes in slag phase fraction as a function of solidification time were not as significant as predicted. This suggests substantial solute concentrations within each phase, significant gas phase reactions or insufficient imposed temperature gradient for directional planer solidification. Optical microscopy and SEM analysis revealed a dendritic structure with Ca12 Al14O32F2 as the primary phase and significant interdendritic porosity. EDS analysis showed that Al segregates to the primary phase while F segregates to the interdendritic regions. Parametric studies using a numerical model of ESR suggests that the ESR process is quite sensitive to changes in slag electrical conductivity and not very sensitive to changes in slag viscosity