*Article* **Liquid Formation in Sinters and Its Correlation with Softening Behaviour**

**Vaishak Kamireddy <sup>1</sup> , Dongqing Wang <sup>2</sup> , Wen Pan <sup>2</sup> , Shaoguo Chen <sup>2</sup> , Tim Evans <sup>3</sup> , Fengqiu Tang 1,\*, Baojun Zhao 1,4 and Xiaodong Ma 1,\***


**Abstract:** Modern blast furnaces with extensive operational volume demand better-quality iron agglomerates as feed for stable operation. Sinter is the principal feed used in blast furnaces across Asia. Liquid generated during the sintering process plays an essential role in the coalescence of the sinter blend and in sinter quality. Therefore, an estimation of liquid properties at peak bed conditions during sintering helps manage sintering liquid behaviour, leading to better control of final sinter properties. In this study, three different iron sinters were reheated to sinter bed conditions, followed by quenching. Electron probe X-ray microanalysis (EPMA) was used to identify the resultant phases and quantify their chemical compositions. The impact of sinter bulk compositions was analysed, especially on sintering liquid properties. Furthermore, experiments were conducted to study the softening and melting behaviour of the sinters, and the cohesive range of the sinters was identified. Finally, the effect of the sinter bulk compositions on sintering liquid properties and softening behaviour is detailed.

**Keywords:** sinter; sintering liquid; EPMA; sinter softening behaviour
