Argon Solubility in Liquid Steel

Experiments have been performed to establish the solubility of argon in liquid interstitial-free steel. The solubility appears to be lower than 0.1 at ppb. The results are in line with argon solubilities reported in the literature on liquid iron. Semiempirical theories and calculations based on the atom embedding method reveal high values (>370 kJ/mole) of the enthal py of solution of single argon atoms in steel. Also, argon clustering is investigated. Furthermore, the enthalpy reduction and therefore solubility enhancement by impurities and oxide particles is discussed.