# US 2020/0399726 A1 · Cast iron inoculant and method for production of cast iron inoculant > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2020/0399726 A1 - Document ID: US20200399726A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/957,287 - Filed: 2018-12-21 - Published: 2020-12-24 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-29 - Assignees: Elkem ASA - Applicants: Elkem Asa - Inventors: Emmanuelle OTT; Oddvar KNUSTAD - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200399726A1 ## CPC - C21C 1/105: {Nodularising additive agents} - C22C 33/08: Making cast-iron alloys - C22C 38/002: {containing In, Mg, or other elements not provided for in one single group C22C38/001 - C22C38/60} - C22C 38/005: {containing rare earths, i.e. Sc, Y, Lanthanides} - C22C 38/04: containing manganese - C22C 38/06: containing aluminium - C22C 38/14: containing titanium or zirconium - C22C 38/60: containing lead, selenium, tellurium, or antimony, or more than 0.04% by weight of sulfur - C22C 37/04: containing spheroidal graphite - C21C: PROCESSING OF PIG-IRON, e.g. REFINING, MANUFACTURE OF WROUGHT-IRON OR STEEL; TREATMENT IN MOLTEN STATE OF FERROUS ALLOYS - C22C: ALLOYS (treatment of alloys C21D, C22F) ## Abstract An inoculant for the manufacture of cast iron with spheroidal graphite is disclosed, the inoculant has a particulate ferrosilicon alloy having between 40 and 80% by weight of Si; 0.02-8% by weight of Ca; 0-5% by weight of Sr; 0-12% by weight of Ba; 0-15% by weight of rare earth metal; 0-5% by weight of Mg; 0.05-5% by weight of Al; 0-10% by weight of Mn; 0-10% by weight of Ti; 0-10 by weight of Zr; the balance being Fe and incidental impurities in the ordinary amount, wherein the inoculant additionally contains, by weight, based on the total weight of inoculant: 0.1 to 15% of particulate Sb2S3, and optionally between 0.1 and 15% of particulate Bi2O3, and/or between 0.1 and 15% of particulate Sb2O3, and/or between 0.1 and 15% of particulate Bi2S3, and/or between 0.1 and 5% of one or more of particulate Fe3O4, Fe2O3, FeO, or a mixture thereof, and/or between 0.1 and 5% of one or more of particulate FeS, FeS2, Fe3S4, or a mixture thereof, a method for producing such inoculant and use of such inoculant. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An inoculant for the manufacture of cast iron with spheroidal graphite, said inoculant comprises a particulate ferrosilicon alloy consisting of between 40 and 80% by weight of Si; 0.02-8% by weight of Ca; 0-5% by weight of Sr; 0-12% by weight of Ba; 0-15% by weight of rare earth metal; 0-5% by weight of Mg; 0.05-5% by weight of Al; 0-10% by weight of Mn; 0-10% by weight of Ti; 0-10% by weight of Zr; the balance being Fe and incidental impurities in the ordinary amount, wherein said inoculant additionally contains, by weight, based on the total weight of inoculant: 0.1 to 15% of particulate Sb2S3, and optionally between 0.1 and 15% of particulate Bi2O3, and/or between 0.1 and 15% of particulate Sb2O3, and/or between 0.1 and 15% of particulate Bi2S3, and/or between 0.1 and 5% of one or more of particulate Fe3O4, Fe2O3, FeO, or a mixture thereof, and/or between 0.1 and 5% of one or more of particulate FeS, FeS2, Fe3S4, or a mixture thereof. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The inoculant according to claim 1, wherein the ferrosilicon alloy comprises between 45 and 60% by weight of Si. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The inoculant according to claim 1, wherein the ferrosilicon alloy comprises between 60 and 80% by weight of Si. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The inoculant according to claim 1, wherein the rare earth metals include Ce, La, Y and/or mischmetal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The inoculant according to claim 1, wherein the inoculant comprises 0.5 to 8% by weight of particulate Sb2S3. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The inoculant according to claim 1, wherein the inoculant comprises between 0.1 and 10% of particulate Bi2O3, ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The inoculant according to claim 1, wherein the inoculant comprises between 0.1 and 8% of particulate Sb2O3. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The inoculant according to claim 1, wherein the inoculant comprises between 0.1 and 10% of particulate Bi2S3, ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The inoculant according to claim 1, wherein the inoculant comprises between 0.5 and 3% of one or more of particulate Fe3O4, Fe2O3, FeO, or a mixture thereof, and/or between 0.5 and 3% of one or more of particulate FeS, FeS2, Fe3S4, or a mixture thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The inoculant according to claim 1, wherein the total amount of the particulate Sb2S3, and the optional particulate Bi2O3, and/or particulate Sb2O3, and/or particulate Bi2S3, and/or one or more of particulate Fe3O4, Fe2O3, FeO, or a mixture thereof, and/or one or more of particulate FeS, FeS2, Fe3S4, or a mixture thereof, is up to 20% by weight, based on the total weight of the inoculant. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The inoculant according to claim 1, wherein the inoculant is in the form of a blend or a physical mixture of the particulate ferrosilicon alloy and the particulate Sb2S3, and the optional particulate Bi2O3, and/or particulate Sb2O3, and/or particulate Bi2S3, and/or one or more of particulate Fe3O4, Fe2O3, FeO, or a mixture thereof and/or one or more of particulate FeS, FeS2, Fe3S4, or a mixture thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The inoculant according to claim 1, wherein the particulate Sb2S3, and the optional particulate Bi2O3, and/or particulate Sb2O3, and/or particulate Bi2S3, and/or one or more of particulate Fe3O4, Fe2O3, FeO, or a mixture thereof and/or one or more of particulate FeS, FeS2, Fe3S4, or a mixture thereof, is/are present as coating compounds on the particulate ferrosilicon based alloy. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The inoculant according to claim 1, wherein the inoculant is in the form of agglomerates made from a mixture of the particulate ferrosilicon alloy and the particulate Sb2S3, and the optional particulate Bi2O3, and/or particulate Sb2O3, and/or particulate Bi2S3, and/or one or more of particulate Fe3O4, Fe2O3, FeO, or a mixture thereof and/or one or more of particulate FeS, FeS2, Fe3S4, or a mixture thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The inoculant according to claim 1, wherein the inoculant is in the form of briquettes made from a mixture of the particulate ferrosilicon alloy and the particulate Sb2S3, and the optional particulate Bi2O3, and/or particulate Sb2O3, and/or particulate Bi2S3, and/or one or more of particulate Fe3O4, Fe2O3, FeO, or a mixture thereof and/or one or more of particulate FeS, FeS2, Fe3S4, or a mixture thereof. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The inoculant according to claim 1, wherein the particulate ferrosilicon based alloy and the particulate Sb2S3, and the optional particulate Bi2O3, and/or particulate Sb2O3, and/or particulate Bi2S3, and/or one or more of particulate Fe3O4, Fe2O3, FeO, or a mixture thereof and/or one or more of particulate FeS, FeS2, Fe3S4, or a mixture thereof, are added separately but simultaneously to liquid cast iron. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A method for producing an inoculant according to claim 1, the method comprises: providing a particulate base alloy consisting of between 40 to 80% by weight of Si, 0.02-8% by weight of Ca; 0-5% by weight of Sr; 0-12% by weight of Ba; 0-15% by weight of rare earth metal; 0-5% by weight of Mg; 0.05-5% by weight of Al; 0-10% by weight of Mn; 0-10% by weight of Ti; 0-10% by weight of Zr; the balance being Fe and incidental impurities in the ordinary amount, and adding to the said particulate base, by weight, based on the total weight of inoculant, 0.1 to 15% of particulate Sb2S3, and optionally between 0.1 and 15% of particulate Bi2O3, and/or between 0.1 and 15% of particulate Sb2O3, and/or between 0.1 and 15% of particulate Bi2S3, and/or between 0.1 and 5% of one or more of particulate Fe3O4, Fe2O3, FeO, or a mixture thereof, and/or between 0.1 and 5% of one or more of particulate FeS, FeS2, Fe3S4, or a mixture thereof, to produce said inoculant. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method according to claim 16, wherein the particulate Sb2S3, and the optional particulate Bi2O3, and/or particulate Sb2O3, and/or particulate Bi2S3 and/or one or more of particulate Fe3O4, Fe2O3, FeO, or a mixture thereof and/or one or more of particulate FeS, FeS2, Fe3S4, or a mixture thereof, if present, are mixed or blended with the particulate base alloy. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method according to claim 16, wherein the particulate Sb2S3, and the optional particulate Bi2O3, and/or particulate Sb2O3, and/or particulate Bi2S3 and/or one or more of particulate Fe3O4, Fe2O3, FeO, or a mixture thereof and/or one or more of particulate FeS, FeS2, Fe3S4, or a mixture thereof, if present, are mixed before being mixed with the particulate base alloy. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) A method for manufacturing cast iron with spheroidal graphite by adding the inoculant according to claim 1 to the cast iron melt prior to casting, simultaneously to casting or as an in-mould inoculant. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method according to claim 19, wherein the particulate ferrosilicon based alloy and the particulate Sb2S3, and the optional particulate Bi2O3, and/or particulate Sb2O3, and/or particulate Bi2S3 and/or one or more of particulate Fe3O4, Fe2O3, FeO, or a mixture thereof and/or one or more of particulate FeS, FeS2, Fe3S4, or a mixture thereof, are added as a mechanical mixture or a blend to the cast iron melt. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The method according to claim 19, wherein the particulate ferrosilicon based alloy and the particulate Sb2S3, and the optional particulate Bi2O3, and/or particulate Sb2O3, and/or particulate Bi2S3 and/or one or more of particulate Fe3O4, Fe2O3, FeO, or a mixture thereof and/or one or more of particulate FeS, FeS2, Fe3S4, or a mixture thereof, are added separately but simultaneously to the cast iron melt.