Effects of O, Se, and Te on the rate of nitrogen dissolution in molten iron

The effects of oxygen, selenium, and tellurium on the rate of nitrogen dissolution into molten iron have been investigated at 1973 K using an isotope-exchange reaction and the results are summarized as follows. The rate constant of nitrogen dissolution measured at lower oxygen concentration ([mass pet 0] < 0.015) is larger than previously reported ones under an atmospheric pressure and agrees well with the value from desorption rate under reduced pressures. Selenium and tellurium retard the nitrogen dissolution into liquid iron more significantly than oxygen, and the degree of the retarding effect is in the order of tellurium, selenium, and oxygen. The adsorption coefficients are calculated to be K-0 144, K-Se = 1120, and K-Te = 1640 with respect to [1 mass pet solute] from present results. A model that surface active elements and nitrogen are adsorbed on the same site at the interface and the dissociation reaction of nitrogen molecule on the site represented by the equation <boxed N>(2) + square = 2 <boxed N> is the rate-determining step reasonably expresses the retarding effect of the surface active elements on the reaction rate on the assumption that all sites at the metal surface have a uniform adsorption energy for each solute.