The Paton Welding Journal, 2026, №01

2026 №01 (02)

DOI of Article 10.37434/tpwj2026.01.03

2026 №01 (04)

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The Paton Welding Journal, 2026, #1, 22-26 pages

Investigation of the behaviour of alloying elements during electroslag remelting of high-chromium boron-containing steel

Yu.V. Kostetskyi, Ye.O. Pedchenko, V.P. Petrenko, G.O. Polishko, V.A. Zaitsev, D.I. Trykozenko

E.O. Paton Electric Welding Institute of the NASU. 11 Kazymyr Malevych Str., 03150, Kyiv, Ukraine. E-mail: y.kostetsky@paton.kiev.ua

Abstract
The paper presents the results of laboratory studies on the behaviour of alloying elements in a high-chromium boron-containing steel during electroslag remelting with silicon-free fluxes. The influence of slag composition and atmospheric oxidation potential on element loss was examined. Protecting the melting space with argon during electroslag remelting allowed significantly reducing boron and other active element losses. Remelting with a silicon-free flux containing 33 % CaF2, 33 % CaO, 33 % Al2O3, and 1 % B2O3, combined with argon protection of the melting space, was shown to stabilize the content of nickel, molybdenum, cobalt, and niobium in the metal. However, this process results in losses of manganese, chromium, silicon, and boron. Adding 1 % boron oxide to the slag reduced boron losses in the metal by half. An unstable electrical mode of remelting was found to increase the loss of elements prone to oxidation. These results can be used to optimize the slag composition and the remelting modes to minimize the loss of alloying elements in boron-containing steels during electroslag remelting.
Keywords: electroslag remelting, boron-containing steel, silicon-free flux, oxidation of impurities, chemical composition of metal

Received: 15.09.2025
Received in revised form: 14.10.2025
Accepted: 16.12.2025

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Suggested Citation

Yu.V. Kostetskyi, Ye.O. Pedchenko, V.P. Petrenko, G.O. Polishko, V.A. Zaitsev, D.I. Trykozenko (2026) Investigation of the behaviour of alloying elements during electroslag remelting of high-chromium boron-containing steel. The Paton Welding J., 01, 22-26.

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