Reduction of oxide scale on hot-rolled strip steels by carbon monoxide

A study on reduction of oxide scales formed on hot-rolled strip steel by using carbon monoxide was carried out to establish an acidless descaling process. The original oxide scale contains a mixture of magnetite and iron-magnetite eutectoid. When heated up to 730 degrees C, both magnetite and eutectoid were transformed entirely into wustite, which was reduced into iron subsequently by carbon monoxide. The microstructure of oxide scale during heating and subsequent reduction process was examined by electronic microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Optimum reduction conditions have been established through analysis of experimental results. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.