Thermodynamics of Copper Dissolution into MnO-SiO2-MnS Inclusion System

Recently, a new process has been introduced to control alpha-gamma transformation of steels using cuprous sulfide precipitates on the MnO bearing oxide inclusion as well as MnS. In order to optimize the composition of inclusions, the solubility of copper into MnO-SiO2-MnS system were measured at 1523 K and a dissolution mechanism of copper into an oxy-sulfide melts and cuprous sulfide capacity has been proposed. The solubility of copper increased with an increase in MnO/(MnO+SiO2) ratio and showed a maximum solubility at MnO and MnS doubly saturated composition, which was consistent with the maximum precipitation ratio of CuS. Deliberating an oxy-sulfide melts saturated with MnS, MnO, and SiO2 at 1523 K, the phase diagram for the MnO-SiO2-MnS system indicated that the activity coefficient of cuprous sulfide in an oxy-sulfide melts was dependent on the activity of MnO and the activity coefficient of MnS. The dissolution mechanism of copper into a MnO-MnS inclusion system was confirmed and cuprous sulfide capacity was also defined from the reaction mechanism. Cuprous sulfide capacity for the MnO-MnS bearing inclusion strongly depends on stability of sulfide and basicity. The experimental results revealed that the optimized composition for inclusion to dissolve copper was (mass% MnO)=43.6, (mass%SiO2)=1.8 and (mass% MnS) = 54.6. Consequently, it could be proposed that the harmlessness of copper in scrap and dispersion strengthening could be possible by using the non-metallic inclusion technique.The present study had been supported by 'the Second Stage of Brain Korea 21 (BK21) Project' and 'the Life Line development Project'. Thereupon, the authors gratefully acknowledge the Division of Humantronics Information Materials (The Yonsei University of Seoul, Korea) and the Ministry of Knowledge Economy (Republic of Korea)