Thermodynamics of Interfacial Properties between Liquid Iron, Liquid Silicon and Solid Oxide Substrates

Thermodynamic model for the prediction interfacial properties of liquid iron and different solid oxide substrates/refractories (MgO, CaO, Al2O3 and SiO2) was developed. The combined Good's and Young's equations which were used in room temperature bacteria-mineral-leachant system were modified for high temperature liquid metal-solid oxide substrate-inclusion system to evaluate the interfacial tensions. The liquid silicon adherence on the solid oxide substrates/refractories (MgO, CaO, Al2O3 and SiO2) in a liquid iron melt was evaluated. The modified Eq. interfacial tension between liquid iron-solid oxide substrate was in very good agreement with the experimental results in the temperature range of 17802080 K. The Gibbs energy of adhesion for liquid silicon-solid oxide substrate shows that silicon adhesion to solid oxide substrate (MgO, CaO and Al2O3) increases with decreasing Gibbs energy of adhesion and temperature. But SiO2 substrate shows a behavior i.e. adherence increases with temperature. The results shows that silicon adherence MgO and CaO is strongly dependent on compared to Al2O3 and SiO2. It was concluded that and Al2O3 are the best suited solid oxide substrates silicon attachment in the range of temperatures 1723-1820 K and 1820-2080 K, respectively.