Linzhu Wang, PhD, is a Professor at the College of Materials and Metallurgy, Guizhou University, China. She has presided over 4 national-level projects and more than 10 provincial and industry-university-research cooperation projects, publishing more than 70 SCI/EI indexed papers in authoritative metallurgical journals.Chaoyi Chen, PhD, is a Professor at the College of Materials and Metallurgy, Guizhou University, China. He is also an associate editor-in-chief of China Metallurgy. His research mainly focuses on new technologies for short-process metallurgy, comprehensive utilization of metallurgical resources, and corrosion and protection, among other fields.Ruizhi Gao is a PhD candidate in Materials Science and Engineering at Guizhou University, China. His research focuses on the control and modification of non-metallic inclusions, as well as the corrosion behavior and local corrosion mechanisms of materials.Jun Wang is a PhD candidate in Materials Science and Engineering at Guizhou University, China. His research focuses on rare earth modified inclusions in steel and the regulation of strengthening phases in oxide dispersion strengthened steels for nuclear fusion reactors.

• About the Authors xviiPreface xix1 Introduction 11.1 Background and Importance of Inclusion Control in Steels 11.2 Types and Origins of Non-metallic Inclusions 31.3 Classification and Characterization Methods 61.4 The Concept of Oxide Metallurgy 81.5 IGF Nucleation and Role of Inclusions 101.6 Scientific and Technological Challenges 121.7 Industrial Relevance and Application Scenarios 141.8 Objectives and Structure of This Book 162 Research Methods for Inclusions 212.1 Introduction 212.2 Thermodynamic Modeling and Phase-stability Prediction 222.3 Characterization: Morphology, Chemistry, and Crystal Structure 232.4 High-resolution and 3D Methods: From Interfaces to True Morphology 282.5 In Situ and Dynamic Observation Techniques 323 Formation and Evolution of Inclusions in Aluminum-deoxidized Steels 393.1 Background, Motivation, and Chapter Scope 393.2 Thermodynamic Framework and Formation Constraints of Inclusions During Aluminum Deoxidation 403.3 Experimental Strategy and Methodology for Capturing Inclusion Behavior 433.4 Composition and Phase Characteristics of Inclusions in Aluminum-deoxidized Steels 463.5 Morphological Evolution and Growth Mechanisms of Inclusions 493.6 Statistical Characteristics and Kinetic Interpretation of Inclusion Populations 523.7 Spatial Distribution and Dispersion Behavior of Inclusions 553.8 Chapter Summary and Mechanistic Implications 574 Inclusion Modification and Evolution Under Calcium Treatment 614.1 Introduction 614.2 Experimental Program and Research Methods 624.3 Effects of Calcium Treatment on Inclusion Type, Chemistry, and Morphology 654.4 Inclusion Size Distribution and Statistics 684.5 Thermodynamic Modeling and Composition-evolution Pathways 714.6 Chapter Summary 745 Type Control and Transformation Mechanisms of Inclusions Under Magnesium Treatment 795.1 Introduction 795.2 Experimental and Calculation Methods 805.3 Mg-induced Compositional Modification and Phase Evolution of Inclusions 825.4 Analysis of Thermodynamic Formation Behavior of Inclusions in Mg–Al–O System 855.5 Quantitative Characterization of Inclusion Size Refinement and Spatial Distribution Homogeneity 875.6 Chapter Summary 906 Formation Processes and Behavioral Characteristics of Ti-related Inclusions 936.1 Metallurgical Background of Titanium Treatment in Aluminum-deoxidized Steels 936.2 Composition and Phase Characteristics of Inclusions in Ti–Al-treated Steels 956.3 Morphological Evolution and Growth Behavior of Inclusions in Ti–Al-treated Steels 986.4 Statistical Characteristics and Population Evolution of Inclusions in Ti–Al-treated Steels 1006.5 Spatial Distribution and Dispersion Behavior of Inclusions in Ti–Al-treated Steels 1036.6 Chapter Summary and Mechanistic Implications 1067 Structural Characteristics and Control Mechanisms of Inclusions in Zr-deoxidized Steels 1117.1 Introduction 1117.2 Experimental and Calculation Methods 1127.3 Multi-scale Characterization and Crystal Structure Analysis of Inclusions in Zr-deoxidized Steel 1147.4 Evolution of Inclusion Modification Characteristics by Zirconium Treatment 1197.5 Compositional Evolution and Thermodynamic Stability of Inclusions During Solidification 1217.6 Chapter Summary 1258 Regulation Rules of Rare Earth Inclusions Under Cerium Treatment 1298.1 Background and Research Scope of Cerium Treatment in Steels 1298.2 Experimental Framework and Material Systems 1318.3 Inclusion Characteristics in Cerium-treated Pure Iron 1338.4 Inclusion Characteristics in Cerium-treated Oil Country Tubular Steel 1368.5 Influence of Cerium Content on Inclusion Size and Population Statistics 1418.6 Time-dependent Evolution of Inclusions After Cerium Addition 1438.7 Spatial Distribution and Aggregation Behavior of Cerium-containing Inclusions 1468.8 Thermodynamic Interpretation of Inclusion Transformation 1478.9 Mechanism of Inclusion Transformation During Cooling and Solidification 1498.10 Chapter Summary and Mechanistic Implications 1529 Evolution Pathways and Cleanliness Effects of Inclusions Under Yttrium Treatment 1579.1 Introduction 1579.2 Experimental Methods 1589.3 Evolution of Inclusion Types 1599.4 Evolution of Inclusion Characteristics 1629.5 Chapter Summary 16510 Oxide Inclusion Nucleation 16910.1 Significance of Inclusion Nucleation in Oxide Metallurgy 16910.2 Classical Thermodynamic Framework of Oxide Inclusion Nucleation 17110.3 Classical Nucleation of Al2O3 Inclusions in Al-deoxidized Steel 17310.4 Classical Nucleation of Mg-containing Oxides in Al–Mg Deoxidized Steel 17610.5 Classical Nucleation of Ti-, Zr-, and Ce-based Oxides 17910.6 Comparative Summary of Classical Nucleation Behavior 18210.7 Limitations of CNT for Ti-, Zr-, and Ce-based Oxides 18410.8 Two-step and Cluster-assisted Nucleation Mechanisms of Ti-, Zr-, and Ce-based Oxides 18610.9 Unified Nucleation Pathway for Oxide Inclusions in Steel 18810.10 Conclusions 19211 Inclusion Coarsening Kinetics 19511.1 Introduction 19511.2 Thermodynamic Driving Force for Inclusion Coarsening 19711.3 Kinetic Mechanisms of Inclusion Coarsening 20011.4 Effect of Calcium Treatment on Coarsening Behavior 20411.5 Evolution of Inclusion Size Distribution 20711.6 Implications for Inclusion Control in Aluminum-killed Steels 21011.7 Summary 21112 Inclusion Agglomeration Forces 21512.1 Introduction 21512.2 Experimental Methods and Theoretical Models 21612.3 Typical Agglomeration Behavior of Inclusions Observed In Situ 21912.4 Quantitative Calculation and Comparison of Interaction Forces Between Inclusions 22112.5 Influence of Inclusion Morphology on Capillary Forces 22412.6 Application and Validation of the K–P Model in RE Steel 22712.7 Summary 22713 Summary of Control Mechanisms 23113.1 Control Objectives and Evaluation Dimensions 23113.2 Stage-wise Evolution and Key Control Points 23113.3 Thermodynamic Control: Stable Phases, Transformation Pathways, and Composition Windows 23213.4 Nucleation Mechanisms: Unifying Classical and Nonclassical Processes 23313.5 Coarsening Mechanisms: Aggregation Dominance and the Ripening-tocoalescence Transition 23313.6 Interfacial Physics: Capillary Forces, Wettability, and Agglomeration Thresholds 23413.7 Property Matching: Thermal-expansion Mismatch and Interfacial Integrity 23413.8 Integrated Control Essentials and a Closed-loop Strategy 23513.9 Summary 235Index 237