Control of Oxide Scale Formation and Removal During Continuous Processing

Presented by Rafael Rodriguez, a graduate student at the University of Pittsburgh and 2024 participant of the ASM Student Speaking Symposium (S3). To learn more about this contest, please visit bit.ly/2WXL3WV
Full Presentation Title: Control of Oxide Scale Formation and Removal During Continuous Processing
Metal products are key for our society, they enable technical advancements and support a sustainable economy. However, metal production is a complex process that involves continuous heat treatment (HT) steps to provide optimum mechanical properties. During these HT steps, the metal typically undergoes surface oxidation. Oxides can detrimentally affect the quality of the product as well as the processing equipment. Therefore, in order to remove these oxides, the metal product is exposed to de-scaling steps (e.g., sandblasting and pickling in strong acids) during processing. This study analyzes the coil metal production of a Ni-based superalloy and focuses on 1) Characterizing what type of oxides form during production; 2) Assessing the evolution of these oxides during processing; and 3) Optimizing process parameters to yield a clean, oxide-free final product.