Measurement and Characterization of the Apparent Viscosity of Fe–C Melts during Solidification

Abstract

The rheology of Fe–C melts during solidification can give important insight into the process operations and product quality of the resulting alloys. Here, we investigated the apparent viscosity of Fe–C melts during solidification. The testing spindle of the traditional rotation method for measuring the viscosity of liquids was improved so that it could be used to measure the apparent viscosity of Fe–C melts during solidification. Further, the apparent viscosity of Al₂O₃ particles in methyl silicon oil, a representative liquid-solid slurry system, was measured. The effects of the particle fraction, particle shape and particle size on the apparent viscosity of the slurry were examined and the viability of a viscosity prediction model was tested. Finally, the apparent viscosity of Fe–C melts during solidification was measured. Our results showed that the apparent viscosity of Fe–C melts during solidification increased with increasing cooling rate and decreasing shear rate. The effect of precipitated particle structures on the apparent viscosity of Fe–C melts during solidification was similar to the effect that Al₂O₃ particles had on the methyl silicon oil–Al₂O₃ particle system. The viscosity model to predict the apparent viscosity of Fe–C melts under different solidification conditions was proposed.