• A novel high-alumina calcium ferrite (type A SFCA) exhibits superior structural properties, including higher cell density, longer Fe–O bond length, and greater lattice oxygen concentration, enhancing strength and reducibility.
• Type A SFCA demonstrates significantly lower initial melting temperature (880°C) and viscosity (0–0.35 Pa·s) compared to type B, improving liquid-phase generation and flow properties for better sintering.
• Compressive strength of type A SFCA (36.83–42.48 MPa) far exceeds that of type B and traditional sinter, indicating enhanced mechanical integrity for industrial use.
• At 900°C, type A SFCA achieves a final reducibility of 0.89, outperforming type B (0.83), highlighting its potential for low-carbon ironmaking applications.