Exploring the Crystallinity of Mold Fluxes by Pulsed Electric Current

Abstract

Herein, the effect of a pulsed external field on the crystallinity of CaO-SiO 2 -Al 2 O 3 -based mold fluxes with different basicities during continuous cooling is investigated by means of X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope analysis. It is well known that an increase in basicity is advantageous for increasing the crystallinity of a mold flux, which relates closely to the horizontal heat transfer and lubrication during casting. However, this rule has changed under electrical pulse processing. In this study, by comparing the crystallinity and crystal phase morphology of the different basicities of mold fluxes after pulsed current treatment, it is found that a pulsed current increases the crystallinity of mold fluxes with low basicity but inhibits the formation of the crystalline phase of mold fluxes with high basicity. It is seen that an electric pulse can play a significant role in regulating the crystallinity of mold fluxes, thus providing a new pathway to solve the contradiction between horizontal heat transfer and lubrication during solidification.