Morphology and growth of alumina inclusions in Fe-Al alloys at low oxygen partial pressure

The degree of supersaturation is a factor that influences the Al2O3 inclusion characteristics and inclusion behaviour in the steel. The influence of a large addition of Al in the molten steel on the formation, growth and morphology of Al2O3 inclusions was investigated by lab scale experiments. Consecutive steel samples were taken during the deoxidation process. The samples were subjected to chemical analysis (ICP-AES), Automated Image Analysis (AIA), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) assessment on the extracted inclusions. Special attention is given to the characterisation and quantification of Al2O3 particles. The results and indications of different growth processes, leading to variations in particle size distribution as well as in the morphology, are presented.status: publishe