Development of Speciality Grade Wire by Controlling the Inclusions in High-Carbon Steel Using Synthetic Slag Treatment

The high-carbon wire rods essentially permit controlled traces of the aluminium and calcium dissolved in the molten steel bath due to the generation of un-deformable complex oxide inclusions. These inclusions can be controlled by treating the liquid steel with suitable synthetic slag. In the present investigation, slag with suitable composition was synthetically prepared based on the thermodynamic study. After melting the plant wire rods, synthetic slag was added in the bath and slag–metal reactions were carried out at around 1600 °C for a pre-specified period. Experimental results showed significant improvement in inclusion rating of hot-rolled specimens prepared by induction melting for the residence time of about 30 min across the slag–metal reaction. It thus depicts that slag – metal reaction residence time of 15 min is rather less than the residence time of 30 min for any significant improvement in inclusion rating under identical reactions across the slag–metal interface.