Effect of matrix structure on the impact properties of an alloyed ductile iron

An investigation was performed to examine the influence of the matrix structure on the impact properties of a 1.03% Cu, 1.25% Ni and 0.18% Mo pearlitic ductile iron. Specimens were first homogenized at 925 °C for 7 h and a fully ferritic structure was obtained in all ductile iron samples. Then, various heat treatments were applied to the homogenized specimens in order to obtain pearlitic/ferritic, pearlitic, tempered martensitic, lower and upper ausferritic matrix structures. The unnotched charpy impact specimens were tested at temperatures between − 80 °C and + 100 °C; the tensile properties (ultimate tensile strength, 0.2% yield strength and elongation) and the hardnesses of the matrix structures were investigated at room temperature. The microstructures and the fracture surfaces of the impact specimens tested at room temperature were also investigated by optical and scanning electron microscope. The results showed that the best impact properties were obtained for the ferritic matrix structure that had the lowest hardness, yield and tensile strength. Ductile iron with a lower ausferritic matrix had the best combination of ultimate tensile strength, percent elongation and impact energies of all structures.     

Influence of matrix structure on the fatigue properties of an alloyed ductile iron

Rotary bending fatigue tests were conducted on ductile iron containing 1.25 wt% nickel, 1.03 wt% copper and 0.18 wt% molybdenum with various matrix structures. Several heat treatments were applied to obtain ferritic, pearlitic/ferritic, pearlitic, tempered martensitic, lower and upper ausferritic structures in the matrix of a pearlitic as-cast alloyed ductile iron. The tensile properties (ultimate tensile strength, 0.2% yield strength and percent elongation), the hardness and the microstructures of the matrixes were also investigated in addition to fatigue properties. Fractured surfaces of the fatigue specimens were examined by the scanning electron microscope. The results showed that the lowest hardness, tensile and fatigue properties were obtained for the ferritic structure and the values of these properties seemed to increase with rising pearlite content in the matrix. While the lower ausferritic structure had the highest fatigue strength, the upper ausferritic one showed low fatigue and tensile properties due to the formation of the second reaction during the austempering process.     

Effects of pearlite formation on mechanical properties of austempered ductile iron

Abstract

Mechanical property measurements are described for a ductile iron alloyed with Mn, Mo, and Cu in the fully austempered condition, andfor irons with various amounts of pearlite introduced by isothermal transformation at 550°C after austenitising at 920°C for 120 min and before austempering at 370°C for 60 min. The ultimate tensile strength, 0·2% proof strength, elongation, impact energy, and hardness all decrease as the amount of pearlite in the structure increases. A smaller amount of pearlite can be tolerated in the alloyed iron compared with an unalloyed iron before itfails to satisfy the standard.

MST/2041     

Effects of composition and structure on the state,fatigue, and damping properties of high-strength cast iron

Measurements have been made on the ultimate strength, yield stress, endurance limit with and without stress concentrators, and oscillation decrement for cast iron containing spheroidal graphite and alloyed (in mass %) with 0.30–1.08 Mn, 0–0.81 Cu, 0.45–0.62 Ni, and 0–0.32 Mo and having structures of ferrite, pearlite, bainite, and bainite-ferrite types (with 25–30% ferrite) and also martensite structure. Concentrations of those elements have been determined that provide the best combination of static and dynamic characteristics. The effects of the alloying elements on the properties of the cast iron have been related to the structure of the metal substrate. In particular, in pearlitic cast iron alloyed with 0.7–0.8% Cu, 0.4–0.5% Ni, 0.3% Mn, the addition of Mo is ineffective, while in cast iron having the bainite structure, that element raises the yield stress and the fatigue strength even in the absence of Cu, while the sensitivity to stress concentration is reduced.Translated from Problemy Prochnosti, No. 8, pp. 30–37, August, 1995.     

Analysis of Nodular Cast Iron Microstructures for Micromechanical Model Development

Abstract:  One of the main factors in determining the different grades of ductile iron is the matrix structure. In the as-cast condition, the matrix will consist of varying proportions of pearlite and ferrite, and as the amount of pearlite increases, the strength and hardness of the iron also increase. Three different nodular cast irons are here considered and their microstructure characterised in detail using metallographic methods. Then micromechanics models based on the unit cell approach and the finite element method are introduced to describe the actual constitutive response of the materials and the predicted behaviours are compared with experiments.     

Al-7Sn-1.1Ni-Cu-0.2Ti轴承合金微观组织与力学性能

采用扫描电镜、能谱分析、金相显微镜与WDW-100KN万能拉伸试验机研究Al-7Sn-1.1Ni-Cu-0.2Ti轴承合金的微观组织与力学性能,结合盘-销式摩擦磨损试验机考察合金不同组织状态的润滑性能。结果表明:Al-7Sn-1.1Ni-Cu-0.2Ti合金凝固收缩率为1.13%,铸态抗拉强度、屈服强度、伸长率与布氏硬度分别为191,147MPa,15.6%与34.6HBS,随着低温时效与退火热处理过程的进行,抗拉强度略有上升,屈服强度保持不变,伸长率与布氏硬度均呈现出先上升后下降的变化趋势;沿晶界分布的共晶Sn相形貌受界面张力作用逐步由板片状与骨骼状转变为层片状与短棒状,部分吸热脱溶析出在晶界处形成空腔结构,初生α-Al基体平均晶粒尺寸为182μm。与铸态和340℃退火6h相比,经175℃时效10h后,摩擦因数降低了28.6%与78.6%,体积磨损量减少了157.1%与471.4%,断口形貌以沿晶断裂与韧窝断裂为主。     

Investigation of quenching effect on mechanical property and abrasive wear behaviour of high boron cast steel

Abstract

The effect of quenching temperature from 900 to 1050°C on the microstructures, mechanical properties and abrasion resistance of modified high born cast steel containing 0·3 wt-%C and 3·0 wt-%B was studied by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, tensile tester, impact tester, hardness tester and abrasion tester. Quenching at 900°C resulted in structures containing a small amount of pearlite. The existence of pearlite led to poor hardness and wear resistance of modified high born cast steel. Quenching at temperatures between 900 and 950°C resulted in the decrease in pearlite and the increase in hardness and abrasion resistance in comparison with 900°C quenching. The metallic matrix all transformed into the martensite quenching at 1000°C; the modified high born cast steel had high hardness, tensile strength, impact toughness and excellent abrasion resistance. The hardness, tensile strength and impact toughness of modified high born cast steel had no obvious change quenching over 1000°C. The increase in quenching temperature also led to the transformation of boride from continuous shape to isolated shape and promoted the coarsening of boride.     

含有Cu、Mo、Sn的高强度蠕墨铸铁的蠕变行为

研究了一种含有Cu、Mo、Sn的高强度蠕墨铸铁在623~823 K、40~150 MPa的蠕变行为,观察了不同形态的蠕变损伤组织并分析了蠕变变形及断裂机理。当T/T_m＞0.5(T为使用温度,T_m为蠕墨铸铁熔点)、载荷大于150 MPa时这种蠕墨铸铁的蠕变变形显著,且变形主要来自基体变形、蠕变空洞的形核长大以及石墨/基体界面的开裂。随着温度的提高和载荷的增加,蠕变变形逐渐由晶界移动转变为晶内变形。在蠕变过程中有两种开裂机制：(I)微裂纹在石墨/基体开裂处形核长大并优先沿铁素体向基体扩展,与邻近石墨/基体开裂连接而逐渐形成主裂纹;(II)晶界处的蠕变空洞形核长大转变成蠕变裂纹。氧原子通过石墨的连通性向组织内部扩散,造成上述两种裂纹表面氧化。由于,石墨、铁素体、珠光体三者性能的差异,石墨/铁素体界面比石墨/珠光体界面更易发生开裂。另外,在773 K、823 K组织中的珠光体分解明显,层片状渗碳体逐渐转变为短棒状,在晶界附近则以颗粒状为主。     

低合金钢烧结硬化性能研究

研究了4种成分的低合金钢材料烧结硬化性能。结果表明,添加Mo、Mn、Cr等合金元素的烧结低合金钢抗拉强度、硬度明显提高,合金强化效果显著。采用烧结硬化工艺,低合金钢都获得了比常规烧结更好的力学性能。其中硬化能力倍数高的4#材料效果最佳,硬度达到HRC35.4,强度为540.74 MPa,接近常规热处理的性能。金相分析表明,烧结硬化组织主要是马氏体,此外有少量残留奥氏体、铁素体、珠光体。     

Austempering heat treatments of ductile iron using molten metal baths

This work aims to evaluate the use of two different zinc–tin and zinc–aluminum molten metal baths on austempering heat treatments performed in ductile cast iron. Samples were extracted from as-cast standard Y-blocks for austempering heat treatments. The samples were heated for austenitization at 910°C for 90?min and further cooled in two different molten metal baths for austempering: zinc–tin and zinc–aluminum alloys at 370 and 400°C, respectively, for 30, 60 and 90?min. The Zn–50?wt% Sn hypoeutectic alloy and the Zn–5?wt% Al eutectic alloy were chosen for the molten metal baths. After heat treatments, the samples were analyzed by optical and scanning electron microscopy, Brinell hardness, Vickers microhardness, Charpy impact and tensile tests, and fracture mode analysis. The results indicated the viability of using Zn–Al and Zn–Sn molten metal baths as a substitute of molten salts. When the austempering temperature was increased from 370 to 400°C, the hardness, tensile strength, and elongation decreased, while impact energy increased. The ideal processing parameters were obtained for austempering at 370°C for 60?min, where the austempered ductile cast iron presented a microstructure completely formed by finer ausferrite.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of high boron white cast iron

In this paper, high boron white cast iron, a new kind of wear-resistant white cast iron was developed, and its microstructure and mechanical properties were studied. The results indicate that the high boron white cast iron comprises a dendritic matrix and an interdendritic eutectic boride in as-cast condition. The distribution of eutectic boride with a chemical formula of M₂B (M represents Cr, Fe or Mn) and with a microhardness of HV2010 is much like that of carbide in high chromium white cast iron. The matrix includes martensite and a small amount of pearlite. After quenching in air, the matrix changes to martensite, but the morphology of boride remains almost unchanged. In the course of austenitizing, a secondary precipitation with the size of about 1 μm appears, but when tempered at different temperature, another secondary precipitation with the size of several tens of nanometers is found. Both secondary precipitations, which all forms by means of equilibrium segregation of boron, have a chemical formula of M₂₃(C,B)₆. Compared with high chromium white cast iron, the hardness of high boron white cast iron is almost similar, but the toughness is increased a lot, which attributes to the change of matrix from high carbon martensite in the high chromium white cast iron to low carbon martensite in the high boron white cast iron. Moreover, the high boron white cast iron has a good hardenability.     

Analysis of mechanical properties and its associated fracture surfaces in dual‐phase austempered ductile iron

This work aims at evaluating the fracture surfaces of tensile samples taken from a new kind of ductile iron referred to as ‘dual‐phase Austempered Ductile Iron (ADI)’, a material composed of ausferrite (regular ADI microstructure) and free (or allotriomorphic) ferrite. The tensile fracture surface characteristics and tensile properties of eight dual‐phase ADI microstructures, containing different relative quantities of ferrite and ausferrite, were studied in an alloyed ductile cast iron. Additionally, samples with fully ferritic and fully ausferritic (ADI) matrices were produced to be used as reference. Ferritic–pearlitic ductile irons (DI) were evaluated as well. For dual‐phase ADI microstructures, when the amount of ausferrite increases, tensile strength, yield stress and hardness do so too. Interesting combinations of strength and elongation until failure were found. The mechanisms of fracture that characterise DI under static uniaxial loading at room temperature are nucleation, growth and coalescence of microvoids. The fracture surface of fully ferritic DI exhibited an irregular topography with dimples and large deformation of the nodular cavities, characteristic of ductile fracture. Microstructures with small percentages of ausferrite (less than 20%) yielded better mechanical properties in relation to fully ferritic matrices. These microstructures presented regions of quasi‐cleavage fracture around last‐to‐freeze zones, related to the presence of ausferrite in those areas. As the amount of ausferrite increased, a decrease in nodular cavities deformation and a flatter fracture surface topography were noticed, which were ascribed to a higher amount of quasi‐cleavage zones. By means of a special thermal cycle, microstructures with pearlitic matrices containing a continuous and well‐defined net of allotriomorphic ferrite, located at the grain boundaries of recrystallised austenite, were obtained. The results of the mechanical tests leading to these microstructures revealed a significant enhancement of mechanical properties with respect to completely pearlitic matrices. The topographies of the fracture surfaces revealed a flat aspect and slightly or undeformed nodular cavities, as a result of high amount of pearlite. Still isolated dimple patterns associated to ferritic regions were observed.     

Effect of aluminum content on solidification microstructure and properties of Fe‐Cr‐B‐Al alloys

The microstructures and mechanical properties of eight kinds of Fe‐Cr‐B‐Al alloys containing X wt.%Al‐0.35 wt.%C‐10.0 wt.%Cr‐1.4 wt.%B‐0.6 wt.%Si‐0.8 wt.%Mn (X = 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 4.0) were studied by means of optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Rockwell hardness and Vickers micro‐hardness testers. The results indicate that the as‐cast microstructure of aluminium‐free sample consists of the martensite, austenite and eutectic borocarbides, and the eutectic borocarbides are the mixture of (Fe, Cr)₂B and (Cr, Fe)₇(C, B)₃, and its hardness reaches 65 HRC. When a small amount of aluminium element (Al ? 1.0 wt.%) is added, the phase composition has no significant change, and the hardness excels 65 HRC. When the concentration of aluminium reaches 1.5 wt.%, the matrix of Fe‐Cr‐B‐Al alloy becomes pearlite and δ‐ferrite, leading to a sharply decrease of the hardness. The proportion of ferrite goes up along with increasing aluminium concentration, and the hardness of Fe‐Cr‐B‐Al alloy has slight decrease.     

An Investigation on the Cracking of Pallet Side Walls at a Sinter Plant

A failure analysis on the cracking of pallet side walls of a sintering machine in an integrated steel plant is presented. The pallets moving at a constant speed carry the base mix for sintering and enter an ignition hood furnace (temperature????1150°C) at a regular interval of time. The pallet side walls of a sintering machine are therefore subjected to continuous thermal cycling. The material of the pallet side wall is spheroidal graphite (SG) cast iron. Ten cracked side walls are collected and analyzed. The failure investigation involves field visit, visual observation of the cracked side walls, fractography, chemical analysis, microstructural characterization, tensile and impact tests. Most of the cracks are observed between the bolt?Chole locations of the lower side walls; bolt?Chole locations act as obstructions to thermal movement of the casting. The chemical analysis shows higher level of sulfur while the materials must be of higher purity for SG iron. Fractography shows predominantly intergranular fracture. Examinations of microstructures at the cross sections of the samples show the presence of primarily intergranular cracks. Matrix structure reveals pearlite along with ferrite surrounding the embedded graphite nodules. The amount of pearlite in the matrix is measured around 30?C35% whereas predominantly ferrite matrix is desirable at the elevated temperature application. Determinations of tensile and impact properties exhibit low values of elongation (10%) and impact energy (7?J), respectively, indicating poor toughness properties of the casting. The presence of pearlite and lower amount of graphite nodules deteriorate the thermal conductivity of the casting, thereby generating more thermal stress. The analyses show that the pallet side walls start cracking under cyclic high thermal stress due to embrittlement because of improper material.     

Effect of Various Heat Treatments Particularly Austempering on Mechanical and Physical Properties of a High Mn Ductile Iron

The stable and metastable phase diagrams, microsegregation of carbon and alloying additions and the driving force for single and double austempering are reported for a ductile iron (DI) of composition: 3.5% C, 2.64% Si, 0.25% Cu, 0.25% Mo, 0.67% Mn, 0.007% P, 0.013% S, 0.04% Mg The variation with austempering time of the retained austenite volume fraction (VRA), Unreacted Austenite Volume fraction (UAV), austenite carbon content (CJ, UTS, elongation, and unnotched charpy impact energy is reported for single austempering at 400°C, 285°C, and a double austempering treatment (400°C, 120 min., then austempering at 285°C) after austenitizing at 920°C for 120 min. Finally mechanical and physical properties including strength, ductility, toughness, wear resistance, hardness, thermal conductivity, and electrical properties for the following heat treatments are compared:

ADI (upper bainitic structure) 870°C, 120 min.; 375°C, 120 min.ADI (lower bainitic structure) 870°C, 120 min., 285°C, 1 dayADI (Double austempered) 870°C, 120 min., 375°C, 120 min., 285°C, 1 dayAir cooled (mainly martensitic/ some widmanstatten ferrite): 870°C, 120 min. furnace cooled (50.7% proeutectoid ferrite/49% pearlite): 870°C, 120 min. Step-cooled (15% proeutectoid ferrite/ 85% pearlite): 870°C, 120 min., 650°C 30 min., air cooled As cast structure (39.5% proeutectoid ferrite/ 60.5% pearlite)The comparison shows that double austempering can be used with the high Mn DI to improve elongation and impact energy obtained by a single austempering. Control over the austenitizing and austempering temperatures and times in the double treatment can be used to change the relative improvements in elongation and impact energy. The results show that furnace cooled irons have the best elongation and physical properties.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of a sand-cast Mg–Nd–Zn alloy

The microstructures and mechanical properties of a sand-cast Mg–Nd–Zn alloy in the as-cast, solution-treated and peak-aged conditions were investigated. The as-cast alloy was comprised of α magnesium matrix and Mg₁₂Nd eutectic compounds. The eutectic compounds dissolved into the matrix and small Zr-containing particles precipitated at grain interiors, due to the solution treatment. After the solution treatment, two kinds of cooling manner, either cooling in air or quenching in water, were employed. It was worth noting that some basal precipitates formed in the matrix during the in-air cooling process after solution treatment, which led to the succedent weak ageing hardening response and low strength in peak-aged condition. The hardness, yield strength, ultimate tensile strength and elongation at room temperature, of the samples in the T61 condition, were HV81, 191 MPa, 258 MPa and 4.2%, respectively. When tensile tested at high temperature, they exhibited serrated flow. Moreover, the casting surface of the tensile testing bar also had a great influence on its mechanical properties.     

Effects of alloying elements and cooling rates on the high-strength pearlite steels

The effects of the alloying elements of Cr, Mn and the cooling rates after hot deformation on the microstructures and mechanical properties of pearlite steels were studied. Results show that increasing Cr and decreasing Mn significantly increase the eutectoid transformation temperature of steel. The grain sizes of prior austenite of the steels after hot deformation are ～12?µm. However, the high-Cr–low-Mn steel exhibits a finer interlamellar spacing and some better mechanical properties than that of the high-Mn–low-Cr steel. A full pearlite microstructure with an interlamellar spacing of 97?nm was obtained on the former steel, which exhibits a hardness of HRC49, a tensile strength of 1700?MPa and an elongation of 19%.     

Hot Extrusion Process Effect on Mechanical Behavior of Stir Cast Al Based Composites Reinforced with Mechanically Milled B4C Nanoparticles

In this study, aluminum alloy (Al-2 wt% Cu) matrix composites reinforced with 1, 2 and 4 wt% boron carbide nanoparticles fabricated through mechanical milling with average size of 100 nm were fabricated via stir casting method at 850℃. Cast ingots of the matrix alloy and the composites were extruded at 500℃ at an extrusion ratio of 10:1 to investigate the effects of hot extrusion on the mechanical properties of the composites. The microstructures of the as-cast and the extruded composites were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Density measurement, hardness and tensile tests were carried out to identify the mechanical properties of the composites. The extruded samples revealed a more uniform distribution of B4C nanoparticles. Also, the extruded samples had strength and ductility values superior to those of the as-cast counterparts. In the as-cast and the extruded samples, with increasing amount of B4C nanoparticles, yield strength and tensile strength increased but elongation to fracture decreased.     

Effect of Active and Nonactive Fluxes on the Mechanical Properties and Microstructure in Submerged-Arc Welds of A-36 Steel Plates

A study of the effect of active and nonactive fluxes on the mechanical properties and microstructure of submerged-arc welds for steel plates was carried out for the Submerged-Arc Welding (SAW) of A-36 Steel Plates. The nonactive flux promoted the formation of pearlite and ferrite in the weld having the highest toughness and ductility. In contrast, the active fluxes with Cr and Mo promoted the formation of acicular ferrite and fine carbides in the welds showing the highest tensile strength and hardness.     

Mechanical Properties of V-, Nb-, and Ti-bearing As-cast Microalloyed Steels

The influence of microalloying additions on the mechanical properties of a low-carbon cast steel containing combinations of V, Nb, and Ti in the as-cast condition was evaluated. Tensile and hardness test results indicated that good combinations of strength and ductility could be achieved by V and Nb additions. While the yield strength and UTS （ultimate tensile strength） increased up to the range of 378-435 MPa and 579- 590 MPa, respectively in the microalloyed heats, their total elongation ranged from 18% to 23%. The presence of Ti, however, led to some reduction in the strength. Microstructural studies including scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and optical microscopy revealed that coarse TiN particles were responsible for this behavior. The Charpy impact values of all compositions indicated that microalloying additions significantly decreased the impact energy and led to the dominance of cleavage facets on the fracture surfaces. It seems that the increase in the hardness of coarse ferrite grains due to the precipitation hardening is the main reason for brittle fracture.