Exploring the Composition and Structure of Triclinic SFCA-I

Abstract

The synthesis and characterisation of SFCA-I compounds has been performed. SFCA-I is one of the key bonding phases in iron ore sinter, influencing physical properties such as strength, reducibility, and strength degradation during reduction. The results reported herein extend the understanding of the solid solution limits of the SFCA-I phase, with the synthesis of single-phase SFCA-I materials containing 2.71, 3.23 and 3.73 mass% Al₂O₃. These materials contain less Al₂O₃ than any previously reported SFCA-I compounds. The results also confirm the low tolerance of the SFCA-I structure for SiO₂, and a low tolerance for the variation of the CaO concentration. Finally, the results confirm that the SFCA-I structure accommodates more FeO than the related sinter phase SFCA.