Thermodynamics and kinetics of alumina and magnesium oxide in calcium ferrite sintering process

• Increased cooling rates promote CaFe2O4 (CF) precipitation but inhibit Ca2Fe2O5 (C2F) formation in both Al2O3- and MgO-doped calcium ferrite systems. • Al2O3 addition lowers the initial crystallization temperature of calcium ferrite, whereas MgO addition raises it due to enhanced MF and C2F precipitation. • Kinetic analysis using Ozawa and Malek methods reveals distinct crystallization mechanisms: logarithmic law initially, then reaction-order or exponential law for Al2O3-doped systems, and (1−α)2 for MgO-doped systems. • These findings provide critical thermodynamic and kinetic insights for optimizing sinter ore composition and improving blast furnace slag performance.