Lattice and radiation conductivities for mould fluxes from the perspective of degree of crystallinity

The lattice and radiation conductivities have been determined for commercial mould fluxes in glassy and partially crystalline states as functions of the degree of crystallinity to confirm whether or not more crystallisation of mould fluxes is always effective in slow cooling in continuous casting. Lattice conductivities, refractive indices and absorption/extinction coefficients were measured on glassy and partially crystallised samples from commercial mould fluxes. The lattice conductivities of mould fluxes increased with increasing the degree of crystallinity at temperatures around 773 K and more prominent increase was observed where the degree of crystallinity exceeded about 20 %, which would be due to the contact between crystal grains precipitated. However, fluxes having higher degrees of crystallinity showed negative temperature coefficients in the lattice conductivities, particularly at higher temperatures, and thus there was a case where the lattice conductivities decreased with increasing the degree of crystallinity at higher temperatures. On the other hand, the radiation conductivities tended to decrease with increasing the degree of crystallinity and became almost constant where the degree of crystallinity exceeded about 15 %. As a consequence of this, more crystallisation does not always lead to slow cooling in continuous casting: the degree of crystallinity should be controlled to be about 15 % where the partially crystalline phase exists around 773 K.