Mechanistic approach for the electrical conductivity calculation of oxidic melts with focus on steelmaking slags

Description

Redox reactions – chemical processes involving electron transfer – form the basis of most fundamental pyrometallurgical processes. To develop a comprehensive understanding of these reactions and to explore opportunitiesfor process optimization or redesign, it is crucial to investigate both ionic and electronic conduction phenomena in metallurgical slag melts, as electrical conductivity not only serves as a valuable indicator of slag composition but also offers key insightsinto the underlying reaction mechanisms.

In our investigation, the electrical conductivity of molten calcium silicate slags is determined using a four-electrode setup, commonly referred to as the extended Van der Pauw configuration. This method involves measuringthe complex impedance of the melt across a frequency range of 0.1 to 100.0 kHz at various electrode immersion depths. Slags of different compositions are examined and temperature-dependent electrical conductivity data are correlated with viscosity using boththe Arrhenius equation and the Vogel‑Fulcher-Tammann (VFT) approach. In addition to these semi-empirical correlations, a mechanistic model is applied, inspired by the analogy between diffusive transport of momentum and mass. Within this framework, ionic conductionin the molten slag is linked to viscosity data. The model treats ionic conductivity as the cumulative result of ion-specific mobility, charge, and concentration, offering a fundamental perspective on ionic transport mechanisms in molten slags. Finally, a comparisonis made between the model predictions and the experimentally measured conductivity values.

Period	1 Jul 2026 → 2 Jul 2026
Event title	19. Minisymposium der Verfahrenstechnik
Event type	Conference
Location	MCI Innsbruck, AustriaShow on map
Degree of Recognition	National