The flow behavior of molten slag directly impacts the stability of slag removal processes in high-temperature furnaces, with alkali metal oxides exerting a significant influence on slag flow characteristics. To elucidate the structural evolution mechanism by which Na2O modulates the viscosity-temperature properties of silicate slag, molecular dynamics simulations, FactSage thermodynamic calculations, and Raman spectroscopy analysis are employed to investigate the effects of Na2O content on slag structure and viscosity under fixed SiO2/Al2O3 conditions. Results indicate that as Na2O content increases within the 0 wt%-8.91 wt% range, the complex structural unit [Si2O5]2- (Q3) continuously depolymerizes into [SiO4]4-(Q0) and [Si2O7]6-(Q1), leading to increased non-bridging oxygen (NBO) proportion and decreased polymerization degree (DOP). Concurrently, Na+ compensates for Al3+ charges, promoting the transformation of unstable [AlO6] octahedra into more stable [AlO4] tetrahedra. The network depolymerization effect of Na2O dominates its macroscopic viscosity-temperature behavior, resulting in a significant viscosity decrease with a good linear correlation between viscosity and degree of polymerization. Below the liquidus temperature range, when Na2O<8.91 wt%, its addition suppresses slag crystallization tendencies. This promotes the transformation of high-melting-point minerals like wollastonite and calcium feldspar into low-melting-point feldspars, thereby enhancing slag fluidity and reducing viscosity. This study reveals the microscopic mechanism by which Na2O regulates the viscosity-temperature characteristics of silicate slag, providing a theoretical basis for safe slag disposal.
煤基高温炉渣的黏温特性是其高温流动特性的关键指标,炉渣黏温行为包括两个方面:高温下的黏度值和冷却期间的流动行为.高温下黏度主要受炉渣的化学成分和微观结构的共同制约[3‒4].当温度高于煤炉渣液相温度(Tliq),炉渣完全熔化成液态,达到平衡状态后,炉渣黏度受其结构影响,而炉渣结构本质上取决于化学组成.在煤炉渣的复杂硅酸盐体系中,各氧化物扮演不同的结构角色.SiO2和Al2O3作为网络形成剂,增强了炉渣网络的完整性;CaO、Na2O、Fe2O3等作为改性剂,通过引入桥氧键(BO)、聚合度(DOP)等概念,从而调节煤炉渣结构和黏度.对高钠煤及合成高钠炉渣的研究表明,随着Na2O含量增加,SiO2-Al2O3-CaO体系的液相线温度整体下降,液相体积分数在气化操作温度范围内明显提高,黏温曲线前移并变得更加平缓,使炉渣在略高于液相线温度时仍能保持较低黏度,有利于渣池的更新与稳定排渣[5‒7].Neuville[8]研究了化学成分对硅酸盐熔体结构和黏度的影响.Na+或Ca2+破坏微观结构,使得部分Si-O-Si键断裂,形成非桥氧(NBO),熔体结构聚合度降低,炉渣黏度降低.NBO的比例是评估熔融炉渣聚合程度的理论参数[9‒10].Nesbitt等[11]研究了硅酸钠玻璃结构,发现随着玻璃中Na2O含量的增加,NBO分数增加.然而在熔融煤渣领域,Na2O如何通过改变Q n 结构单元分布、Al配位态转变及氧类型分布等短程有序结构来影响黏度的作用机制尚未系统揭示.故明确Na2O对高温熔体微观结构的调控机制是理解其黏度行为的重要条件之一.进一步预测炉渣在实际工况下的流动性能,则须考察其在冷却过程中的黏温行为演变.
Al的不同配位态在硅酸盐网络中起着不同作用.四配位[AlO4]与[SiO4]通过BO键相连形成聚合单元,表现了Al作为网络成型剂的特性.而五配位[AlO5]和六配位[AlO6]中的Al3+由于具备更高的结合能,结构稳定性差,表现了Al的网络修饰剂特性.图5显示了截断半径下,[AlO n ]的数量分数随Na2O含量的变化.随着Na2O从0 wt%增加到8.91 wt%,[AlO4]的比例从54%增加到82%,而[AlO6]的比例从9%降至1%.低含量Na2O时,Al3+作为网络成型剂,构建了复杂的网状结构,从而提高炉渣黏度.随着Na2O的增加,促使Na+对Al3+进行电荷补偿,与Al3+形成[NaAlO4]4-,使得[AlO6]不断转化为[AlO4].
2.2.3 Na2O对Si-O的影响
由图6可知,合成灰XRD图谱中无明显峰,表明制备的炉渣为均相玻璃态.为研究合成渣Si-O结构变化,采用拉曼光谱技术对800~1 200 cm-1光谱范围内的[SiO4]4-四面体反对称伸缩振动进行分析,确定Si原子周围桥氧数量的特征参数Q n .图7显示了不同样品[SiO4]4-四面体反对称伸缩振动的拉曼光谱反卷积结果.[SiO4]4-四面体主要以单聚体([SiO4]4-,Q0)、二聚体([Si2O7]6-,Q1)、环链状([Si2O6]4-,Q2)和层状([Si2O5]2-,Q3)结构存在[35].参考表4中现有文献,确定不同Q n 结构单元拉曼光谱特征峰.结果表明,合成渣中多数以[Si2O6]4-(Q2)结构单元存在,结构稳定.不同Q n 结构单元的面积可作为半定量评价指标.将不同Q n 结构单元的积分面积相对于总面积进行归一化处理,可得图8(a)所示的Q n 变化趋势.
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