Factors influencing dissolution of carbonaceous materials in liquid Fe– Mn

Abstract

Carbon dissolution from four types of metallurgical cokes and graphite was investigated by using immersion rods in a resistance furnace to clarify the influence of factors governing the rate of carbon dissolution from carbonaceous materials into Fe–Mn melts at 1550 °C. The factors studied were the microstructure of carbonaceous materials, roughness, porosity and the wettability between carbonaceous materials and the melt. Carbon/metal interface was characterised by scanning electron microscopy accompanied with energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry to investigate the formation of an ash layer. The results showed that coke E had the highest dissolution rate. Surface roughness and porosity of the carbonaceous materials seemed to be dominant factors affecting the dissolution rates. Further, crystallite size did not have a significant effect on the dissolution rates. Solid/liquid wettability seemed to affect the initial stage of dissolution reaction. The dissolution mechanism was found to be both mass transfer and interfacial reactions.