Effect of TiO2 on electrical conductivity, viscosity, and melt structure of electroslag remelting slag

Electrical conductivity and viscosity of electroslag being crucial parameters. Using a high-temperature physical property measuring instrument, the effects of different TiO 2 concentration and temperatures on electroslag conductivity and viscosity were investigated. With an increase from 1733 K to 1823 K resulting in elevated electrical conductivity (1.04 to 1.89 S · cm −1 ) and reduced viscosity (0.14 to 0.09 Pa · s). This is because the higher the temperature is, the more the polymer in the slag is depolymerized. Similarly, as TiO 2 content increased from 7% to 16%, the electrical conductivity increased (0.24 to 1.14 S · cm −1 ), and the viscosity decreased (0.33 to 0.11 Pa · s). TiO 2 simplified the structure of the melt, and based on the infrared and Raman spectral analysis, it can be seen that Ti 4+ replaced Al 3+ in the [AlO 4 ] 5− structure to form the Ti 2 O 6 4− structural unit, which depolymerized the structure of the slag system, leading to the reduction of Q 4 units and thus greatly reducing the electrical conductivity. The relationship between electrical conductivity, viscosity, and structure was quantified, demonstrating a clear inverse correlation between electrical conductivity and viscosity. The relationships offer insights into predicting electrical conductivity and viscosity based on slag structure.