Papers - Research Problems Relating to Steelmaking Processes. Compiled by the Committee on the Physical Chemistry of Steelmaking (T.P. 1310, with discussion)

The present list of problems relating to the physical chemistry of steelmaking has been prepared by the Committee on the Physical Chemistry of Steelmaking, from answers to a questionnaire submitted to a number of metallurgists engaged in both industrial and educational work throughout the United States. The purpose of the project is to make available to research laboratories a list of problems, all reduced to their simplest terms, the solution of which would aid in creating a better understanding of the steelmaking process. It is not intended to restrict the problems to practical steelmaking. The list also includes the study of the properties, and their correlation, as well as the physical and chemical reactions, of all substances that occur or that may be in any way associated with steelmaking operations, such as metallic substances, refractories, nonmetallic inclusions, and the constituents of slags. Many of the problems can be carried out in university or other research laboratories. Others may be most successfully attacked by cooperation of the research men with the operating personnel. It is the Committee's earnest wish that this cooperation be fostered. It is requested that investigators who are working on any of the problems listed and who anticipate future publication of their results, notify the Secretary of the Committee that such investigation is in progress. Suggested additions to the present list are also requested. The Committee is undertaking to act as a clearing house for information regarding the topics in this field that are being actually studied. Interested persons are invited to correspond with the Secretary. I. Data involved in the state of equilibrium for the various systems (laboratory work, almost entirely). A. Specific heats, heats of formation, entropies and free energies of various PURE ELEMENTS OR COMPOUNDS; ALSO CERTAIN TYPICAL SLAGS AND REFRACTORIES I. Determination of specific heats and entropies of oxides, sulphides, nitrides, etc, over a wide temperature range. 2. Determination of free energies of oxides, sulphides, nitrides, etc., over a wide temperature range. 3. Determination of the heats of formation of the oxides, sulphides, nitrides, etc. 4. Determination of the thermodynamic properties of the more important mineral-ogical constituents of the basic open-hearth slags such as calcium silicates, calcium phosphates, calcium ferrites, manganese silicates, FeO and Fe2O3. 5. Determination of the specific heats of open-hearth slags, including liquid silicates, if possible.