EFFECT OF ALUMINUM ON SOLUBILITY OF OXYGEN IN MOLTEN FE-NI SYSTEM

Thermodynamic analysis of oxygen solutions in molten iron-nickel syste m containing aluminum has been carried out. With an increase in the ni ckel content of the melt up to about 70%, the deoxidation ability of a luminum decreases, while with a further increase in the nickel content it improves, which can be attributed to stronger bonding force of alu minum in the melt (gamma(Al(Fe))degrees = 0.049; gamma(Al(Ni))degrees = 0.00022), on the one hand, and with weaker bonding force of oxygen w ith higher nickel contents (gamma(O(Fe))degrees = 0.0105; gamma(O(Ni)) = 0.357), on the other. In pure nickel, the deoxidation ability of al uminum is virtually similar to that in pure iron. Oxygen solubility cu rves have a minimum the position of which is not dependent on the nick el content of the melt. Minimal values of oxygen concentration are att ained at an aluminum content of the melt of in the order of 0.2%. Furt her addition of aluminum results in an increase in the oxygen concentr ation. The results of the thermodynamic analysis are in good agreement with the available experimental data.