Influence of refining slag composition on cleanness and fatigue life of 60Si2MnA spring steel

The influence of basicity and Al₂O₃ content of LF refining slag on T.[O] (total oxygen) as well as type, number and size of non-metallic inclusions in Al killed 60Si2MnA spring steel was investigated. The results showed that with the increase of slag basicity R(CaO/SiO₂) or the decrease of Al₂O₃ content in slag, the T.[O], number and size of non-metallic inclusions decreased significantly. On the one hand, as the slag basicity increased, inclusions in steel were transformed from Al₂O₃–SiO₂–CaO–MgO quaternary system to Al₂O₃–SiO₂–CaO–MgO–CaS quinary system, which made the formation of voids between inclusions and steel matrix to decrease. Furthermore, thermodynamic calculations showed that CaS could only form in steel (R ≥ 3.4). Al₂O₃–SiO₂–CaO–MgO came close to the compositions of the low melting point area, while Al₂O₃–SiO₂–CaO–MgO–CaS deviated from this. On the other hand, as the Al₂O₃ content in slag increased, Al₂O₃–SiO₂–CaO–MgO–CaS came close to the compositions of the low melting point area. In conclusion, the cleanness and fatigue life of 60Si2MnA spring steel had been improved by the increase of slag basicity or the decrease of Al₂O₃ content in slag.