Abstract
Chromium- and manganese-bearing slags are frequently encountered during ladle furnace refining of alloyed and stainless steels, where interactions with MgO-C refractories critically affect lining performance and service life under aggressive high-temperature conditions. Slag composition plays a key role in these interactions, and this study compares the corrosion behaviors of an MgO–C refractory in contact with slags containing Cr₂O₃ and MnO. Corrosion cup tests were conducted at 1625 °C, followed by microstructural and compositional characterization to study slag–refractory interactions. The results demonstrate that oxidizing slags containing Cr₂O₃ and MnO significantly alter slag penetration depth into the refractory with distinct degradation mechanisms, some of which are discussed in this work. These findings provide insight into the role of transition metal oxides in slag–refractory interactions and contribute to improved slag and refractory design strategies for ladle furnace applications.