Interfacial Reactions between Alumina and Carbon Refractories and Molten Iron at 1,823 K

High temperature interactions of alumina–carbon refractories with molten iron were investigated at 1,823 K in argon atmosphere. These studies were specifically focussed on the decomposition of alumina in the simultaneous presence of carbon and iron, and associated refractory degradation. Refractory mixtures were prepared by blending 90 wt% alumina with 10 wt% synthetic graphite; 5–15 wt% iron powder was then mixed with the refractory mixture. Using phenol formaldehyde as a binder, pellets were prepared from various blends; these were heat treated at 1,823 K for 30 min in Ar atmosphere. The presence of molten iron significantly enhanced the decomposition of alumina resulting in an enhanced refractory degradation as well as the formation of a new reactant product. This product was identified as a Fe–Al intermetallic phase from SEM/EDS (scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive spectroscopy) and x-ray microdiffraction investigations.