Nitrogen in cast iron

How much nitrogen

Source of nitroge n

compounds.
Nitrogen can enter the iron nitrogen content resins.
I

when the moulds and/or cores contain high

Metallurgical effects
These are seldom obvious except in very heavy sections.
ns by nitrogen contents increase in tensile strength ingot moulds as it lowers can result the increase in nitrogen Some of the advantages cast irons arise from this effect. and may lead to white iron carbide and pearlite from

Compacted graphite in 12 in dia. bar containing 0.015% nitrogen. Etched 4% picrai. x 60

high nitrogen content

Nitrogen

pinholes used by high-nitrogen resin-bonded cores. The defects occur where

the core forming the hub of the casting meets the greensand mould

Effect on soundness
Excessive nitrogen contents appear as blowholes and fissures In the castings. It is u~ommon for nitrogen blowholes to occur below about 0.013 per cent nitrogen in light section castings and 0.008 per cent in heavy castings. These defects most frequently arise In thick section castings made from cupola iron of low carbon equivalent prepared from high steel charges. Nitrogen fissure defects occur adjacent to cores bonded with high nitrogen content resins. These often appear as bubbles or fissures close to a re-entrant angle in a casting. Blowholes or fissures due to nitrogen may appear to have bright surfaces or contain a continuous layer of graphite. However, If the defects have been exposed to the air, or the casting has been heat treated, they may have dull oxidlsed surfaces.

How to avoid the effects of high nitrogen content

The effect of nitrogen can be neutralised by the addition of titanium to give a content of 0.02-0.03per cent in the iron before casting. Although additions of aluminium (to give a content in the iron of 0.02-0.04per cent) are used to neutrallse nitrogen in the production of large ingot moulds and heavy castings of similar application, aluminium should never be added to iron for light section and general engineering castings because it promotes hydrogen pinholes in such castings (see BCIRA Broadsheet 7). Carburiser materials having a high nitrogen content must be avoided. When defects are associated with moulds and cores bonded with high nitrogen content resins, a lower nitrogen content resin should be substituted. Resins having below 3 per cent nitrogen are unlikely to give trouble but sometimes it may be necessary to change to a nitrogen-free resin.

(--

Recommended further reading

DAWSON (J.V.), SMITH (LW.L.) and BACH (B.B.) Some effects of nitrogen in cast Iron. BCIRA Journal of Research and Development. 1953,v. 4, June, pp. 540-552. MOUNTFORD (F.A.) The Influence of nitrogen on the strength, soundness and structure of grey cast iron. British Foundryman,

1966. 59,April. pp. 141-151. v. External report 504.

Copies of any BCIRA

from British

Broadsheet can be obtained free Cast Iron Research Association, Alvechurch,

of charge by BCIRA members Birmingham B48 70B.

1976 British CastIron Research Association,A/vechurch,Birmingham,B48 70B.

Nitrogen in cast iron

How much nitrogen dissolves in cast iron?
Up to about 0-04 per cent nitrogen dissolves in cast iron, depending on the composition of the iron- A sharp drop in solubility occurs when the iron solidifies, accounting for the tendency of this element to causeblow-holes or fissures. In practice, the nitrogen content of castings cast in sand per cent, but castings are likely to be unsound with nitrogen contents above 0-010 per cent.

pl

.
~vJ-"

..)..y

mouldscan vary betweenabout 0 - 001 per cent and O.015

Sources of nitro~en Some nitrogen in cast iron is introduced by the charge materials,but morecommonlyit is absorbed the liquid into iron together with carbon from the coke in the cupola furnace.High nitrogen contentsare most likely to occur in cupola-meltedirons using high-steelcharges.When steel scrap charges are carburized in electric furnaces, high nitrogen contents can arise from the use of carburizing materialssuch as petroleumcoke.that contain nitrogenous compounds. Nitrogen can enter the iron during casting, when the moulds, cores or both are bonded with high-nitrogencontent resins.

Metallurgical effects
These are seldom obvious except in very heavy sections. A compacted form of graphite is produced in heavy sections by nitrogen contents aboveabout 0.008 per cent. Compacted

graphite causesan increasein tensile strength but this graphite structure is undesirablein somedesignsof ingot moulds as it lowers the thermal shockresistance. An increase tensilestrengthof 30- 45 N/mm2 can result in from the increase nitrogencontentarisingfrom the useof in high-steelchargesin the cupola. Someof the advantages claimedfor the useof high-steelcharges high-duty cast for irons arise from this effect. High nitrogencontentspromotepearliteformationandmay lead to white-iron structures. In malleableirons, high nitrogen contentsstabilizecarbide and pearliteand hinder annealing, problemsof this type but are uncommon. Nitrogen hasno significant effect in ductile irons.

Effect on soundness Excessive nitrogen contents result in blow-holes and fissures in the castings. It is uncommon for nitrogen blowholes to occur below about 0.013 per cent nitrogen in lightsection castings and O. 008 per cent in heavy castings. These defects most frequently arise in thick-section castings made from cupola iron of low carbon equivalent prepared from high steel charges, or electric-melted irons carburized with materials such as petroleum coke.

Fig. 1 Compacted graphite in 30 cm bar 0.015% nitrogen. Etched in 4% picral.

containing x60

Fig. 3 Nitrogen pinholes caused by high-nitrogen resin-bonded cores. The defects occur where the core forming the hub of the casting meets the greensand mould.

Nitrogen fissure defectsoccur next to coresbonded with high-nitrogen-content resins.Theseoften appearasbubbles or fissurescloseto a re-entrantanglein a casting. Blow-holesor fissures due to nitrogen may have bright surfaces or contain a discontinuous layer of graphite. However,if the defectshavebeenexposed the air, or the to castinghasbeenheat treated,they may havedull oxidized surfaces.

RECOMMENDED FURTHER READING BClRA Broadsheet Pinholesformed by hydrogengasduring 7*: solidification of iron castings. BClRA Broadsheet 49*: Holes in castingscaused high-nitroby gen-content resin-bindersystems. BClRA Broadsheet 165: Changes the nitrogen content of cast in iron during melting and holding in a coreless induction furnace. BClRA Broadsheet 218: The determination of nitrogen in chemicallybondedsands. BClRA Broadsheet 294: in ctst irons. DAWSON,J. V., SMITH, W L. &; BACH,B. B. Someeffectsof nitrogen in cast iron. BCIRA 355.
MOUNTFORD, F. A. The influence of nitrogen on the strength, soundness and structure of grey cast iron. British Foundrymsn, April 1966, Vol. 59, 141-151. SIMMONS, W. Experiments into the complementary effects of hydrogen and nitrogen in the fonnation of gas holes in iron castings. BCIRA Repon 1122.t SMITH, L. W. L. Detennination of the nitrogen content of carbon materials. BCIRA Repon 1177.t GREENHILL, J. M. & REYNOLDS,N. M. Nitrogen defects in iron castings. BCIRA Repon 1189.t
EVANs, E. R. Nitrogen in cast irons-and its neutralization by aluminium. BCIRA Repon 1260.t The effects of alloying elements in cast iron-5: nitrogen. BCIRA Repon 1299.t

How

to avoid

the

effects

of high

nitrogen content The effect of nitrogen can be neutralized by the addition of enough titanium to give a content of 0.02-0.03 per cent in the iron before casting. Although additions of aluminium (to give a content in the iron of 0.02-0.04 per cent) are used to neutralize nitrogen in the production of large ingot moulds and heavy castings for similar applications, aluminium should never be addedto iron for light-section and general engineering castings because it promotes hydrogen pinholes in such castings (seeBCIRA Broadsheet 7*). Large amounts of carburizer materials having a high nitrogen content must be avoided. When defects are associatedwith moulds and cores bonded with high-nitrogen-content resins, a resin with less nitrogen should be substituted. Resins with less than 3 per cent nitrogen are unlikely to give trouble, but sometimes it may be necessaryto change to a nitrogen-free resin.

FALLON, M. J. Nitrogen pinhole defects in manensitic white iron castings. BCIRA Repon 1635.t DAWSON,J. V. The influence of nitrogen on the tensile properties of blackhean malleable cast irons. BCIRA Repon 1674.t DAWSON,J. V. The properties ofwhitehc tAvailable only to BCIRA Members. litrogen on the structure and iron. BCIRA Repon 1709.t

Memberscan obtain free copies of any BCIRA Broadsheet from BCIRA, Alvechurch, Birmingham B48 7aB
@ 1989BCIRA