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Fe–xTiC in situ metal matrix composites (MMCs) are fabricated utilizing a cold crucible inductive melting (CCIM) technique with varying TiC amounts (2, 3.5, and 5 wt%). Steel blocks and pure Ti plates are remelted in a water‐cooled copper crucible. The subsequent solidification of [Ti]‐ and [C]‐rich melt yields TiC reinforcement particles in an ingot. The holding time varies between 5 and 30 min, whereas the holding temperature alters depending on the amount of TiC, ranging from 1380 to 1620 °C for Fe‐5TiC and Fe‐2TiC, respectively. Alloying efficiency for TiC‐forming elements is estimated for all fabricated Fe–xTiC ingots by comparing [Ti] and [C] target values with measured ones. The lower TiC amounts and shorter holding times result in decreased [Ti] and [C] losses. SEM analysis of three cross‐section samples representing different TiC amounts reveals two distinct morphologies of TiC in situ reinforcements: primary blocky/cubic and eutectic plate‐like precipitates. The blocky precipitates appear slightly finer with a decrease in TiC amount (4.4 ± 1.2 μm for Fe‐5TiC and 3.8 ± 0.7 μm for Fe‐2TiC), whereas the length of plate‐like precipitates noticeably decreases in the samples with lower TiC amounts (11.0 ± 7.0 μm for Fe‐5TiC and 6.8 ± 3.6 μm for Fe‐2TiC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Copper selenide was formed and located on the oxides after the addition of selenium into the liquid Fe-Cu alloy. • Copper selenide was massively detected in the slag along with the alumina or (Mg, Fe)Al 2 O 4 -spinel. • The detected copper selenide indicate that selenium may be considered as a sufficient approach for the decopperization. Selenium was added into the molten Fe-Cu alloy at 1600 °C to test its decopperization possibility. After the addition of selenium into the liquid Fe-Cu alloy, copper selenide was found to deposit on the particle with a complex composition that located on the solidified alloy sample. Furthermore, a secondary metallurgical ladle slag with a high content of alumina was added into the liquid Fe-Cu alloy after the addition of selenium. Thereby the decopperization efficiency was found to be enhanced by the addition of slag. The copper selenide was massively observed in the slag along with the oxides (alumina or (Mg, Fe)Al 2 O 4 -spinel). The formation of the spinel was predicted by the FactSage software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the previous research works, ZnAl2O4 material was considered as one of the solutions for the decopperization process of molten steels; up to 33% of decopperization efficiency was reported by utilising the ZnAl2O4 filter. In order to verify the decopperization possibility of ZnAl2O4 materials, iron-based alloys with various copper and carbon contents were interacted with ZnAl2O4 substrates in a heating microscope under an argon gas atmosphere at 1600 °C. Fe-Cu alloys were found to react with the ZnAl2O4 substrate during the interaction process, and a reaction layer with a complex composition around the alloy droplet was formed; however, Cu was not detected in the reaction layer. Cu was later found infiltrated inside of the ZnAl2O4 substrates. Furthermore, the Cu-Zn compounds were detected when the copper content in Fe-Cu alloys was 10 wt% Cu. After interaction experiments, copper was decreased in all cases. Thereby, the copper evaporation and infiltration into the ZnAl2O4 substrate were considered as the reasons for copper loss. Moreover, oxygen dissolved in melt was found to have a great effect on the copper evaporation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]