Chemical nonhomogeneity of the electro-slag remelting steel measured by EPMA

The chemical and structural homogeneity of the electro-slag remelting (ESR) alloyed structural Cr-Ni-Mo steel (18H2N4MA) is investigated with electron probe microanalysis. The level of nonhomogeneity is expressed in terms of microsegregation coefficients (C_max/C_min of an investigated element) [1]. Microsegregation coefficients are higher for molybdenum than for chromium and vary from 1.5 to 2.05 for Mo and from 1.13 to 1.3 for Cr. Both at low (< 350 kg/h) and high (> 400 kg/h) melting rates, the increase of microsegregation is more pronounced for both elements investigated.