Identification of patterns in the structural and phase composition of the doping alloy derived from metallurgical waste processing

This paper reports a study into the structural-phase composition of the doping alloy made by processing metallurgical anthropogenic waste involving reduction smelting. This is required for determining the technological parameters that ensure an increase in the level of extraction of target elements during the processing of anthropogenic waste and for the further use of the doping alloy. It was revealed that the phase composition of the doping alloy manifested a solid solution of the doping elements and carbon in α-Fe. Cementite Fe3C and silicides Fe5Si3, FeSi, and FeSi2 were also identified. In this case, the doping elements were more likely to act as substitution atoms. It has been determined that the microstructure of the alloy consisted of several phases of different shapes and contents of the basic doping elements. Sites with an elevated iron level of up to 95.87 % by weight in the composition could be represented by the solid solution phase of the doping elements and carbon in α-Fe. The sites with a relatively high (% by weight) content of carbon (0.83‒2.17) and doping elements ‒ W, up to 39.41; Mo, up to 26.17; V, to 31.42; Cr, to 9.15 ‒ were apparently of a carbide nature. The sites with a silicon content of 0.43‒0.76 % by weight likely included silicide compounds. The alloy's characteristics make it possible to smelt steel grades without strict carbon restrictions, replacing some of the standard ferroalloys. Neither phases nor compounds with a relatively high propensity for sublimation were identified in the material produced. Therefore, there is no need to provide conditions to prevent evaporation and loss in the gas phase of the doping elements. That could increase the degree of extraction of the doping elements

Quantitative Measurement of Iron-Silicides by EPMA Using the Fe Lα and Lβ X-ray Lines: A New Twist to an Old Approach

The recent availability of Schottky-type field emission electron microprobes provides incentive to consider analyzing micrometer-sized features. Yet, to quantify sub-micrometer-sized features, the electron interaction volume must be reduced by decreasing accelerating voltage. However, the K lines of the transition elements (e.g., Fe) then cannot be excited, and the L lines must be used. The Fe Lα1,2 line is the most intense of the L series but bonding effects change its atomic parameters because it involves a valence band electron transition. For successful traditional electron probe microanalysis, the mass absorption coefficient (MAC) must be accurately known, but the MAC of Fe Lα1,2 radiation by Fe atoms varies from one Fe-compound to another and is not well known. We show that the conventional method of measuring the MAC by an electron probe cannot be used in close proximity to absorption edges, making its accurate determination impossible. Fortunately, we demonstrate, using a set of Fe–silicide compounds, that it is possible to derive an accurate calibration curve, for a given accelerating voltage and takeoff angle, which can be used to quantify Fe in Fe–silicide compounds. The calibration curve can be applied to any spectrometer without calibration and gives accurate quantification results.