Aluminum as Alloy and De-Oxidant of Steel

Properties of Aluminum Atomic Number 13 Density, 20 C (68 F) 2.70 g/cm3 Atomic weight 26.98 Melting point 660 C (1220 F) Boiling point 2467 C (4473 F)

GENERAL
Aluminum finds use as a deoxidizer, grain refiner, nitride former and alloying agent in steels. Its ability to scavenge nitrogen led to its widespread use in drawing quality steels, especially for automotive applications. Since aluminum is so often added to high quality steels, it is interesting to note that prior to the 1930's, aluminum deoxidization was regarded as a way of compensating for sloppy steelmaking practice. Melters were even careful to add aluminum when no one was looking. Aluminum extraction is extremely energy intensive, and prices for the metal are dependent to some extent on the cost of fuels and electric power. In addition, foreign producers of bauxite, long the principal ore, have controlled production and prices to some extent. All this has led to intensive evaluations of alternative ores, new extraction processes and stepped up reclamation programs. Most aluminum used in steelmaking is reprocessed from scrap, and secondary metal prices have stabilized in recent years. Steelmakers remain concerned with the efficiency of aluminum additions for both cost and quality reasons.

AVAILABLE FORMS
Metallic aluminum is the most common addition agent. It is sold in the form of notch bars, or stick, and as shot, cones, small ingots, chopped wire, hockey pucks, briquettes and other convenient forms such as coiled machine fed wire. These standard products are supplied in bulk or packaged in bags or drums. Purity for deoxidation grades is usually over 95%, the major tramp elements being zinc, tin, copper, magnesium, lead and manganese. Coiled aluminum wire is normally made to 99% minimum specification. Ferro-aluminum, a dense and highly efficient aluminum addition, contains 3040% Al. It is supplied in lump form, 8 in. x 4 in., 5 in. x 2 in., 5 in. x D, and 2 in. x D, and nominal 12 lb. and 25 lb. pigs, packed in drums and pallet boxes.

Finally, so-called synthetic slags containing calcium aluminate are available. These aluminum addition agents are valued for their desulfurization properties.

ADDITION PRACTICE
Aluminum may be added to the furnace, ladle, LMFs, caster tundish or ingot mold. Each type of addition has its specific purpose, and each will produce characteristic results. Aluminum is a very powerful deoxidizer, but while fast, is at somewhat of a disadvantage because of its low density. It has been estimated that the density of liquid aluminum at steelmaking temperatures (1600 C, 2910 F) is only about 2 g/cm^3. Steel's density at this temperature is greater than 7 g/cm^3, depending on composition. Therefore, when aluminum is added to the bath, it will float at the steel/slag interface, where it quickly oxidizes. Relatively small amounts actually make contact with the steel. Wire feeding has overcome this disadvantage by force feeding the aluminum deep into the bath. Major additions of aluminum for deoxidation and grain refinement are made in the ladle or ladle furnace. Addition is made early in the tap, after ferrosilicon, if used, and before major alloying elements are introduced. Additions are made in the form of shot, pigs, stick, or ferroaluminum. The latter is preferred for its higher efficiency and better consistency. The amount added depends on composition, temperature, and tap carbon. The amount of aluminum added to fully killed steels depends on carbon, manganese and silicon content. As these elements increase, less aluminum is needed. In AKDQ low carbon steels, aluminum additions will range from about 35 lbs./ton. Fine grained structural medium-to-high carbon killed steels need a little less, and the corresponding range is 1-3 lbs./ton. Aluminum contents over 0.01% can cause nozzle blockage in open stream continuous billet casting machines. Slab casters are less affected than billet casters by this problem but most of them use submerged casting where the aluminum content is not as critical. Feeding aluminum wire into the open pouring stream below the tundish nozzle eliminates nozzle blockage, but may produce poor surface quality if not carefully controlled. Steel foundries typically add 0.03-0.07% Al to the furnace ladle (plus a few ounces per ton to the bull or shank ladles, in the event of fade) to ensure soundness. Deoxidation aluminum can be troublesome due to its erratic recovery behavior: too much produces poor surface quality, machining problems and embrittlement; not enough results in porosity. Ferro-aluminum is the preferred ladle addition because of its consistent recovery. This guarantees better control over casting quality.

ROLLING/FORGING
The amount of aluminum needed for deoxidation and/or grain size control presents no problems in hot working, aside from the surface quality considerations noted above. Larger amounts, such as those used in magnetic materials and high temperature alloys, will cause embrittlement through the formation of inter-metallic compounds. Ferrous alloys containing up to 5% aluminum can be readily hot or cold worked; those with 5-10% aluminum can only be hot worked, and alloys with 10% aluminum cannot be worked at all. Aluminum tends to produce a more refractory oxide scale that is difficult to remove during pickling. Aluminum deoxidation promotes the formation to pancake ferrite grains. This structure is particularly beneficial for deep drawing applications such as automotive body panels. Aluminum improves strength in low-carbon steels by fixing the interstitial nitrogen as aluminum nitride. Aluminum nitride formation has the benefit of controlling the grain size in carbon steels for improved toughness and ductility.

HEAT TREATMENT
Aluminum has a weak effect on hardenability (it is never added for this purpose) and, because of its grain refining properties, actually detracts from deep hardening. Heat treatable steels made to fine grain practice require slightly extra alloying to counteract this phenomenon. Aluminum is, however, a ferrite former and promotes graphitization during long-term holding at elevated temperatures. It also enhances creep, probably because of its grain refining property. Aluminum, therefore, should not be used in Cr-Mo or Cr-Mo-V steels specified for boiler or high temperature pressure vessel applications. Perversely, aluminum is otherwise beneficial to such materials since it reduces scaling through the formation of a more tightly adhering oxide film, particularly if chromium is present as well.

APPLICATIONS
Beyond its important functions in deoxidation and grain size control, aluminum has several applications as an alloying agent. Nitriding steels, such as the Nitralloy family, contain up to 1.5% Al to produce a case with hardness as high as 1100 VHN (70 RC). The outer layer of this case must, however, be removed by grinding to prevent spalling in service. The oxidation (scaling) resistance

imparted by aluminum is exploited in some stainless steels and various high temperature alloys. Precipitation hardening stainless steels (17/7 PH, 15/7 PH, etc.) make use of aluminums ability to form strength-inducing particles of intermetallic compounds. Aluminum is found in many superalloys for the same reason. Aluminum combines very readily with nitrogen, and this effect has important commercial uses. Aluminum killed deep drawing steels will be nonaging since AlN is extremely stable. Such steels will not exhibit stretcher strains (Lders lines) or a yield point, even after prolonged holding after cold rolling. Aluminum is also added to nitriding steels for its ability to form an extremely hard case. Aluminum is an important addition to some HSLA steels, and AlN was the first nitride used to control grain size in normalised and heat treated steels. Again, Al removes nitrogen from solution and provides grain refinement. Both of these effects promote high toughness, especially at low temperatures. Mention should be made of the effect of aluminum on non-metallic inclusions, since these will always be present in AK steel. Because aluminum is among the strongest deoxidizers known, it can combine with, and partially or totally reduce, any other oxides present in steel. The subject is quite complex and depends not only on aluminum, but also on oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, manganese, silicon, and calcium contents. For ordinary steels, however, the pattern is generally as follows: unkilled steels will contain oxides of iron, manganese and silicon, to the extent they are present. Steels deoxidized with silicon and aluminum will contain complex inclusions containing silica, alumina and manganese and iron oxides. As aluminum is increased, it gradually replaces silicon in the inclusions, and the principal inclusions in aluminum killed steels will be alumina and iron-manganese aluminates. Calcium-aluminum deoxidized steels will contain calcium aluminates, the composition and properties of which will depend on oxygen content (see Calcium). Aluminum also has a profound effect on the structure of sulfide inclusions. The three basic types of sulfides present in steels have been designated as Type I (fine, randomly distributed spheroids, usually oxy-sulfides), Type II (inter-granular chains which are most harmful to mechanical properties) and Type III (large, globular particles with complex, multiphase structures). Incomplete deoxidation with aluminum results in Type I inclusions; complete, but not excessive deoxidation produces Type II inclusions, while excessive aluminum addition leads to the formation of the Type III particles. High aluminum contents also promote the generation of interdendritic alumina galaxies, which can impair machinability. Aluminum is added in some stainless grades to improve machinability. Aluminum as alumina in calcium aluminate slags has found extensive use as

slag conditioners at LMF stations. These are used to remove sulfur and inclusions, to lower costs of dolomitic lime, fluorspar, aluminum and calcium carbide additions, to protect the refractory lining, and to improve castability. Applications include both aluminum- and silicon-killed steels.