With the continuous expansion of the application field of low alloy wear-resistant steel, higher processing plasticity and toughness are prioritized on the basis of ensuring strength and hardness. In this article, a low alloy wear-resistant steel Hardox400 was studied: by adding a mass fraction of 0.0030% of rare earth cerium as microalloying treatment, the pilot scale simulation of the rare earth wear-resistant steel was carried out using vacuum induction furnace and a four-high reversible laboratory mill. The effects of the rare earth on the occurrence state of the inclusions, microstructure, mechanical properties and wear resistance of the steel were studied by means of optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and wet sand/rubber wheel wear tester. The results show that the fine spherical CeAlO₃, CeAlO₃-MnS and elliptical Ce₂S₂O-CaO are formed by adding 0.0030% Ce, which enhances the binding force between the inclusions and matrix. The addition of rare earth Ce helps to refine the as-cast structure, prevent the transformation of proeutectoid ferrite of overcooled austenite and promotes the formation of bainite ferrite, whilst simultaneously increasing the yield strength, yield ratio and surface hardness, especially the low-temperature impact toughness approximately between −40 °C~−20 °C of the tested steel. Simultaneously, the ability to resist abrasive embedment and crack propagation is enhanced, and the wear resistance is obviously improved. The research results will provide a reference for the development of high-quality rare earth wear-resistant steel utilizing national featured resources.

CeO₂ can be applied to refining slag to minimize the size of inclusions, speed up the deoxidization process, and adsorb Al₂O₃ inclusions. The impact through which CeO₂ content affects slag’s melting efficiency is still uncertain. The thermal analyzer was used to measure the thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) curves of the slag melting process. According to the study results, with the increase in CeO₂ content, the melting temperature of slag decreased first and then increased. The slag’s melting point fell from 1364 °C to 1324 °C and then rose to 1503 °C. XRD and SEM were used to analyze the CaO-Al₂O₃-SiO₂-MgO-CeO₂ slag’s microstructure. The mineral-phase structure of CeO₂-containing refining slag was primarily composed of Ca₂SiO₄ and 3CaO·Al₂O₃, MgO, SiO₂, CaO·Al₂O₃, and Ca₈Ce₆Al₆O₂₆. The proportion of 3CaO·Al₂O₃, CaO·Al₂O₃, and Ca₂SiO₄ decreased as the rare-earth-oxide content increased, while the proportion of Ca₈Ce₆Al₆O₂₆ increased. FactSage was used to estimate the equilibrium-phase compositions of slags with various compositions, and a model for predicting melting points was carried out by a linear regression model. Results were obtained through the analysis of equilibrium-phase composition and crystal structure transformation. The main reasons for the melting point decrease were the change of degree of polymerization and the decrease in contents and complete melting temperature of high-melting-point Ca₃Al₂O₆ and Ca₂SiO₄ compounds. The latter increase in melting point was due to the number of Ca₈Ce₆Al₆O₂₆ compounds and precipitation temperature increases and the complexity of the structural-network increases.

In view of the problem of low bottom-blowing stirring intensity and easy blockage in the use of capillary bricks, the bottom-blowing gas supply element of circular seam was used. The results of water model experiments shows that the suitable bottom-blowing element was arranged on the circumference 0.45D away from the center of the furnace bottom (where D is the diameter of the converter bottom). The best blowing process parameters for vanadium extraction from hot metal were are obtained in different periods. The industrial test results shows that the average values of vanadium content in semi-steel and metallic iron content in vanadium slag were 0.033 wt% and 22.39 wt%, respectively, after process optimization, which were 0.003 wt% and 5.25 wt% lower than those before process optimization. The average value of vanadium oxide content in vanadium slag was 18.54 wt%, an increase of 0.2 wt% compared with the one before process optimization. This shows that after the process was optimized, the kinetic conditions of the molten bath were improved, and the vanadium oxide reaction was more sufficient. An additional 5210 tons of vanadium slag could be produced each year, and better economic benefits could be obtained.

It is of great significance to realize the carbonation of Ca/Mg minerals in the basic oxygen furnace (BOF) slag. In this paper, the BOF slag was treated with hydrochloric acid and acetic acid, and the carbon dioxide storage test was carried out. The sample of the BOF slag was treated with acetic acid, in which the content of calcium, magnesium, and silicon accounted for 45.44%, 8.23%, and 6.83%, respectively, and has a BET surface area of 52 m²/g. The thermodynamic analysis results were that the BOF slag can react with carbon dioxide at room temperature to form carbonate. However, better kinetic conditions were needed to obtain the maximum carbon dioxide absorption capacity. The amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by the sample at 25–900 °C was measured. The results showed that in the range of 50–400 °C, the largest amount of carbon dioxide was absorbed by the sample treated with acetic acid, and the absorption amount was between 2.6 and 4.1 mmol/g. In the range of 500–800 °C, the largest amount of carbon dioxide absorbed was lime treated with acetic acid and hydrochloric acid, and the absorption was between 4.2 and 6.0 mmol/g. In the 800–900 °C range, the largest amount of carbon dioxide was absorbed, and the absorption was between 6.0 and 6.9 mmol/g via the samples treated with acetic acid and hydrochloric acid.

The effect of different Fe contents on the phases of Sm–Co–Fe ternary alloys during solidification is investigated herein by melting the alloys using a non-consumable vacuum arc furnace. In particular, the phases of the Sm_25.5Co_balFe_x (x = 19, 21, 23, and 25 wt.%) alloys are investigated after solidification and aging. The results obtained from Cai Li’s modified Miedema model show a strong interaction between the Sm–Co alloy atoms. Additionally, the results obtained from the Toop geometric model show a strong interaction between the Sm–Co–Fe ternary alloy atoms, enabling the formation of intermetallic compounds. The experimental results show that when the Sm content is 25.5 wt.%, the SmCo₅ phase gradually decreases as the Fe content increases and disappears when the Fe content is 25 wt.%. Thermodynamic calculations show that when the Fe content is 19 wt.%, there is a region where the SmCo₅ and Sm₂Co₁₇ phases co-exist. As the Fe content increases, this region gradually decreases. For a 25 wt.% Fe content, the Sm₂Co₁₇ and SmCo₅ two-phase region does not appear when the Sm content varies. The samples are aged at 1143 °C for 12 h, then melted and cut. The phase results obtained by scanning are consistent with the calculated results. In this study, the effect of each constituent element of Sm–Co–Fe ternary alloys on their solidification phases is investigated, providing a strong foundation for studying the 2:17-type Sm–Co magnetic materials obtained after melting and aging a five-element Sm–Co alloy.

Understanding the way samarium–cobalt alloys solidify at varying cooling rates and the regularities in alloying element distribution is crucial for optimizing subsequent homogenization and annealing processes, leading to an enhancement in the overall quality of the product. The study investigates the effects of rapid water-cooled copper mold (600 °C/min), medium-speed copper mold (100 °C/min), and slow furnace cooling (10 °C/min) on the microstructural evolution, element distribution, and phase transformation of samarium–cobalt (Sm-Co) alloys. The results of the research show that the phase transition temperatures obtained via differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) closely matched those observed in situ by high-temperature laser scanning confocal microscopy (HT-LSCM). Higher cooling rates resulted in notable dendritic refinement and reduced precipitate size. Elemental analysis revealed that Co and Fe exhibited negative segregation, whereas Sm, Cu, and Zr showed positive segregation, with segregation intensity increasing alongside the cooling rate. The principal phases identified included Cu-rich and Zr-rich constituents, the matrix phase, and a gray phase morphologically distinct from the matrix. These correspond to the (Sm, Co, Fe, Cu, Zr)₅ phase, (Sm, Zr)(Co, Fe, Cu)₃ phase, Sm₂(Co, Fe, Cu, Zr)₁₇ phase, and Sm(Co, Fe, Cu, Zr)₇ phase. The phase constitution remained consistent across different cooling rates.