Structural Changes Occurring during Reduction of Hematite and Magnetite Pellets Containing Coal Char

Abstract

The structural changes that occurred during the reduction of hematite and magnetite pellets containing coal char, in the temperature range between 900°C and 1200°C, were studied.
The behavior of the pellets was complex. Significant temperature gradients within the pellet were attained during the process, and the reduction was accompanied by catastrophic swelling of the pellets between 900°C and 1000°C, while shrinkage was observed at 1100 and 1200°C. Observed microstructural features such as intragranular porosity and cracking of oxide grains resulted from severe lattice disturbances occurring upon transformation of hematite to magnetite.
The catastrophic swelling observed for hematite and magnetite pellets 900 and 1000°C was due to the filamentary or whisker growth of iron outward from the wustite surfaces. The whisker formation appears to be due to a changing reducing potential of the gas phase within the pellet coupled with the presence of calcium oxide on the wustite surface. The shrinkage reported at 1100 and 1200°C is accounted for in terms of sintering of iron filaments.
The pellets strength was found to decrease between 900°C and 1000°C, and increased at higher temperatures. The weakness at low temperatures was due to the absence of bonding between iron filaments or whiskers. The high strength obtained at higher temperatures (1100 and 1200°C) was produced by sintering of iron filaments.