Investigation on the Oxidation Behavior of Dual-Phase Silicon-Containing Steel at Different Beginning Oxidation Temperatures

The weak reduction atmosphere, which causes different beginning oxidation temperatures, is often used in the forepart of an industrial furnace to reduce the formation of oxide scale. The present study analyzed the oxidation behavior of a dual-phase Si-containing steel at different beginning oxidation temperatures based on the industrial reheating process. The results indicate that the adoption of the weak reduction atmosphere before the intense oxidation temperature had no profound effects on the oxidation mass gain and the distribution of Fe2SiO4. Therefore, the end temperature of the weak reduction atmosphere must be higher than the intense oxidation temperature. Moreover, the oxidation mass gain and the penetration depth of Fe2SiO4 gradually decreased with the increase in beginning oxidation temperature when the heating temperature was higher than the intense oxidation temperature of the steel. In addition, the oxidation rate remained constant when the heating temperature was higher than the intense oxidation temperature of the steel; thus, oxidation mass gain followed a linear law with time. Furthermore, voids that appeared in oxide scales were attributed to the formation of Fe2SiO4/FeO and volatile products.