Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Fundamental Kinetic Study of Slag Metal Gas ReactionsThe current project will determine fundamental properties important in metal refining. In particular, properties that can be used in mathematical models to help optimize steelmaking processes. The work will impact practical steelmaking and the scientific community. The data will also be useful in the design of carbon free electrochemical steelmaking processes.Metallurgical slag is seen by the lay-person as a waste from the process and is considered unsightly and undesirable. However to the metallurgist it is an important reagent used to refine the metal. This is particularly true in steelmaking where slag is used to remove sulphur, phosphorus and other elements, from the metal. Slag may also supply oxygen to the metal which in the case of desulphurization is a bad thing but in the case of dephosphorisation is good. The balance between the rate of oxygen supply from the slag and consumption by reactive elements in the metal is important in setting the so called "dynamic oxygen potential" at the slag/metal interface. It is not possible to measure the dynamic oxygen potential and in most cases it cannot be calculated directly. In our laboratory we have recently proposed method by which it can be determined but, without more information on the rate of oxygen transfer, we still do not have a comprehensive picture.The proposed research is intended to measure transfer rates of oxygen for a wide range of slags and conditions and to compare these with measurements of electronic conductivity(also known to assist oxygen transfer). These measurements combined with measurements of oxygen transfer by the method recently employed in our lab, will offer us the ability to create better models of processes.The conductivity measurements are also important for our fundamental understanding. A mechanism for electronic conduction was identified in our lab for slags containing iron oxide. This mechanism, known as diffusion assisted hopping, was recently shown by workers in my lab to work for slags containing manganese. The current research will investigate whether this mechanism works for a range of different slag types.