Advanced Materials & Applications

Subject Code :162104

Cast-Fe

DG Sharma
Department of Metallurgy Engineering
Government Engineering College, Rajkot

2/9/2012

Advanced Materials & Applications

Cast Irons
Cast iron - LIKE STEELS ARE BASICALLY ALLOYS OF IRON
AND CARBON IN WHICH CARBON CONTENT IS
IN BETWEEN 2.0% TO 6.67%.
MOST COMMERCIALLY MANUFACTURIN TYPE OF IN THE
RANGE OF 2.5%TO 4% OF CARBON

WHY THE NAME CAST IRON

IN GENERAL IT IS A BRITTLE MATERIAL.
DUE TO ITS POOR DUCTILITY & MALLEABILITY IT
CAN NOT BE FORGED ROLLED EXTRUDED DRAWN
OR PRESSED INTO DESIRED SHAPE.
FURTHER DUE TO ITS RELATIVELY LOWER
MELTING POINT CASTIRON CAN BE EASILY
MELTED AND CASTED WITH OR WITHOUT
MACHINING TO THE REQUIRED FINAL SHAPE AND
SIZE .
CASTING IS THE MOST CONVENIENT FEBRICATION
TECHNIQUE AND HENCE THE NAME CAST IRON

Cast Iron
Fe-C alloys with 2-4%C
1-3% Si: improve castability
Phase diagram shows graphite
rather than Fe3C since C may be
present in form of both graphite
and cementite
Temperatures and compositions
are different from the Fe-Fe3C
diagram

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 Features:

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Low melting temperature (1153C to 1400C)

Low shrinkage
Easily machinable
Low impact resistance
Low ductility

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White CI
Grey CI

Malleabilize

CAST IRONS
Ductile CI

Good castability C > 2.4%

Stress concentration
at flake tips avoided

Malleable CI

Alloy CI

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White Cast Iron

All C as Fe3C (Cementite)
Due to absence of graphite, appearance of fractured s/f is white : white cast
iron

Microstructure Pearlite + Ledeburite + Cementite

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CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF
WHITE CAST IRON

Carbon :-2.0 to 3.5%

Silicon :-0.5 to 1.2%
Manganese :-0.5 to 1.0%
Sulphur :-0.06 to 0.15%
Phophorous:-0.06 to 0.15%
Iron :-remainder

PROPRETIES OF WHITE CAST

IRON
It is extremaly hard
It is brittle because of the presence of large
amount of cementite
It is not suitable for structural parts because
of high brittleness
It serves as the raw material for production
of malleable cast iron

APPLICATION OF WHITE CAST

IRON

Rollers in rolling mill

Road roller s/f
Wearing plates
Grinding balls
Pump liners
Dies
Extrusion nozzles

GRAY CAST IRON

CARBON PRESENT IN THE FORM

OF GRAPHITE FLAKES.
DUE TO PRESENCE OF THESE
GRAPHITE FLAKES A FRACTURED S/F
APPEARS GRAY AND HENCE CALLED
GRAY CAST IRON.

Grey Cast Iron

[2.4% (for good castability), 3.8 (for OK mechanical propeties)]

< 1.25% Inhibits graphitization

< 0.1% retards graphitization; size of Graphite flakes

Fe-C-Si + (Mn, P, S)
Invariant lines become invariant regions in phase diagram
Si (1.2, 3.5) C as Graphite flakes in microstructure (Ferrite matrix)
volume during solidification better castability

L ( Fe3C ) Fe3C ( Fe3C )

Ledeburite

Si Ceutectoid

Pearlite

Si decreases Eutectivity
Si promotes graphitization ~ effect as cooling rate
Solidification over a range of temperatures permits the nucleation and growth of
Graphite flakes
Change in interfacial energy between /L & Graphite/L brought about by Si
Growth of Graphite along a axis

Gray cast iron

Carbon in the form of graphite flakes
2.5 4% C and 1 3% Si (Promotes formation of
graphite)

Grey cast iron

showing the graphite
flakes in a pearlite
matrix
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CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF
GRAY CAST IRON

Carbon:-2.5to 3.8%
Silicon:-1.5 to 3.0%
Manganese :-0.5 to 1.0%
Phosphorous:-0.10 to 0.90%
Sulphur:-0.06 to 0.25%
Iron :-remander

PROPERTIES OF GRAY CAST

IRON
It processes high compresive strength and
low tensile strength
It has high rigidity
It process high stabilty after weathering
good castability
It is self lubricating
It processes good anti friction properties
Good m/cability

APPLICATION OF GRAY CAST

IRON

Manhole covers
m/c tool structure (bed, frame details)
Gas or water pipe for underground purpose
Tunnel segments
Piston rings
Rolling mills
Sanitary wares
Frames for electric motors

Nodular/ Ductile/Spheroidal Cast

Irons
Carbon in the form of spherical graphite nodules
produced by adding a small amount of magnesium or cerium to
gray cast iron

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 Graphite nodules instead of flakes (in 2D section)

Mg, Ce, Ca (or other spheroidizing) elements are added
The elements added to promote spheroidization react with the solute in
the liquid to form heterogenous nucleation sites
It is thought that by the modification of the interfacial energy the c and
a growth direction are made comparable leading to spheroidal graphite
morphology
The graphite phase usually nucleates in the liquid pocket created by the
proeutectic

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Ductile iron used in drain grids

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Ductile Iron/Nodular Iron

Ferrite

Graphite nodules

10 m
With Ferritic Matrix

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With (Ferrite + Pearlite) Matrix

With Pearlitic matrix

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Ductile Iron/Nodular Iron

Ferrite (White)

Graphite (black)

Bulls Eye

Ferrite

5 m
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Pearlite (grey)

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CHEMICAL COMPOSITOIN OF
NODULAR CAST IRON

Carbon :-3.0 to 3.6%

Silicon:-2.0 to 2.5%
Manganese :-0.10 to 1.0%
Sulphur:-0.04 %max
Phosphorous:-0.04%max
Iron:-remainder

PROPERTIES OF NODULAR
CAST IRON

It has good castability

It has excellent m/cability
It has good wear resistance
It has high strength,toughness,ductility.hot
workability
It has hardenability comparable to those of
steel

APPLICATION OF NODULAR
CAST IRON

Includes friction blocks

Railway couplings
Impallers
conveyor ,rollers
Locomotive wheels valves
Pump and compressor bodies
Crankshafts
Comshafts
Gearsand automotive m/c components

Malleable Cast Iron

White Cast Iron Malleable Cast Iron

Malleabilize
To Increase Ductility

48 hrs
Fe3C (WCI)

Graphite Temper Nodules (Malleable Iron)

2 stage heat treatment

Carbon in the form of irregular graphite

nodules
Obtained by heat treating white cast iron

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Stage I

(940-960)C (Above eutectoid temperature)

Competed when all Cementite Graphite
A: Low T structure (Ferrite + Pearlite + Martensite) ( + Cementite)

B: Graphite nucleation at /Cementite interface

(rate of nucleation increased by C, Si)
(Si solubility of C in driving force
for growth of Graphite)
C: Cementite dissolves C joining growing Graphite plates
Spacing between Cementite and Graphite
spacing time (obtained by faster cooling of liquid)

Time for
Addition of Alloying elements
Graphitization
which increase the nucleation rate of Graphite temper nodules
in Stage I
Si t
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Stage II

(720-730)C (Below eutectoid temperature)

After complete graphitization in Stage I Further Graphitization

Slow cool to the lower temperature such that does not form Cementite
C diffuses through to Graphite temper nodules
(called Ferritizing Anneal)

Full Anneal in Ferrite + Graphite two phase region

Partial Anneal (Insufficient time in Stage II Graphitization)
Ferrite is partial and the remaining transforms to Pearlite
Pearlite + Ferrite + Graphite
If quench after Stage I Martensite (+ Retained Austenite(RA))
(Graphite temper nodules are present in a matrix of Martensite and RA)

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Malleable Iron
Pearlitic Matrix

Ferrite (White)
Graphite (black)
Pearlite (grey)

Ferritic Matrix

Partially Malleabilized Iron

Incomplete Ferritizing Anneal
Ferrite (White)
Graphite (black)

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10 m
Fully Malleabilized Iron 28
Complete Ferritizing Anneal

PROPERTIES OF MALLEABLE
CAST IRON
Mehanical properties such as strength
ductility ,m/cability,castability,and wear
resistance can be produced in malleable cast
iron

APPLICATION MALLEABLE
CAST IRON

Connecting rods
Transmission gears
Crankshaft
Axles
Gears differntial housing in automobiles
Pipe fittings rolls, pumps, nozzles,valves,
chaines flanged ,farm equipment etc

Cast Irons
The microstructure of the
iron rich matrix can be
modified by heat
treatment
Pearlite
Ferrite

Gray cast iron

Fracture surface appears
gray because of graphite
flakes

White cast iron

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Fracture surface appears

white (shiny)

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2003 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning is a trademark used herein under license.

Schematic drawings of the five types of cast iron: (a) gray

iron, (b) white iron, (c) malleable iron, (d) ductile iron,
and (e) compacted graphite iron.

White cast iron prior to heat treatment ( 100). (b) Ferritic malleable iron with graphite nodules
and small MnS inclusions in a ferrite matrix ( 200). (c) Pearlitic malleable iron drawn to produce a
tempered martensite matrix ( 500). (Images (b) and (c) are from Metals Handbook, Vols. 7 and 8,
(1972, 1973), ASM International, Materials Park, OH 44073.) (d) Annealed ductile iron with a
ferrite matrix ( 250). (e) As-cast ductile iron with a matrix of ferrite (white) and pearlite ( 250). (f)
Normalized ductile iron with a pearlite matrix ( 250).

2003 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning is a trademark used herein under license.

The iron-carbon phase diagram showing the relationship

between the stable iron-graphite equilibria (solid lines) and
the metastable iron-cementite reactions (dashed lines).

2003 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning is a trademark used herein under license.

The transformation diagram for austenite in a cast iron.

Cast Irons
White cast iron has no
other use that to be
starting material for
malleable cast iron
In the other forms of
cast iron, carbon is in
the form of graphite
The graphite flakes
absorb vibration
Lubricate during
machining
Fracture initiation sites
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Cast iron

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Steel

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ASTM specification by strength and ductility

UNS Letter F indicates cast iron
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CAST IRONS
MATERIAL

a.)Gray
Cast Iron

COMPOSITION

C, silicon,Mn, Fe
%1.7-4.5 C
combined carbon:
iron carbide
graphite:thin flakes

MECHANICAL PROPERTY

*Damping properties
(ability to absorb
vibration)
*Wear resistance
*Brittle, poor resistance
to impact and shock

CORROSION PROPERTY

*Resistance to atmospheric
corrosion, natural or neutral
waters, solids
*Poor resistance to dilute acids
or acid-salt solutions
*High resistance to concentrated
acids(nitric,sulfuric,phosphoric,
alkaline and caustic solutions

b.)White
Cast Iron

All Carbon is
present in the
combined form

c)

*Brittle, difficult to
machine, abbressive,
wear resistance

(Standart

is made from
Malleable white cast iron
Iron
%2.5 C
or pearlitic)

*tough, ductile

*Corrosion resistance is about

the same as for gray cast iron

CAST IRONS
MATERIAL

d.)Ductile
Cast Iron

COMPOSITION

MECHANICAL PROPERTY

is about the same as

gray iron
%3.7 C

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* Good strength
* Thoughness
* Wear resistance
* Machinability

CORROSION PROPERTY

* Maximum resistance to
oxidation
* Similar to gray iron
* is used up to 590oC

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 Unalloyed Gray and Ductile Cast-Fe

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Corrosion resistance equal to or better than steel

Excellent dampening affect
Poor ductility but high compressive strength
low cost

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Alloy Cast Irons

Properties e.g.
Corrosion resistance, wear/abrasion resistance
can be improved
by the use of
various cast-iron alloys

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Alloy Cast Irons

Cr, Mn, Si, Ni, Al
Beneficial effect on many properties
high temperature oxidation resistance
corrosion resistance in acidic environments
wear/abrasion resistance

Graphite free
Alloy Cast Irons
Graphite bearing

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Cr addition (12- 35 wt %)
Excellent resistance to oxidation at high temperatures
High Cr Cast Irons are of 3 types:
12-28 % Cr matrix of Martensite + dispersed carbide

29-34 % Cr matrix of Ferrite + dispersion of alloy carbides

[(Cr,Fe)23C6, (Cr,Fe)7C3]
15-30 % Cr + 10-15 % Ni stable + carbides [(Cr,Fe)23C6, (Cr,Fe)7C3]
Ni stabilizes Austenite structure

High Cr
Extremely Abrasion Resistant

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29.3% Cr, 2.95%
C

 Ni:

Stabilizes Austenitic structure

Graphitization (suppresses the formation of carbides)
(Cr counteracts this tendency of Ni for graphitization)
Carbon content in Eutectic
Moves nose of TTT diagram to higher times easy formation of
Martensite
Carbide formation in presence of Cr increases the hardness of the eutectic
structure Ni Hard Cast Irons (4%Ni, 2-8% Cr, 2.8% C)

Ni-Hard

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Good abrasion resistance

Needles of Martensite
Transformation sequence
Crystallization of primary
Eutectic liquid + alloy carbide
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Martensite
4%Ni, 2-8%Advanced
Cr, 2.8%
C&Applications

 Ni Resist Iron: 15-30% Ni + small amount of Cr:

Austenitic Dendrites + Graphite plates/flakes + interdendritic carbides
due to presence of Cr
Resistant to oxidation (used in chemical processing plants, sea water, oil
handling operations)

Graphite plates Dendrites of

Ni-resist

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 Silal Iron (trade name): Alloy CI with 5% Si

Si allows solidification to occur over larger temperature range
promotes graphitization
Forms surface film of iron silicate resistant to acid corrosion

CI with 5 % Si

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High silicon Cast Irons

DURIRON: 13-16 % Silicon

Excellent cor. Resistance

High resistance to oxidizing and reducing
environments
hard
are not easily machined or welded

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Hard, brittle, susceptible to severe thermal shock

not affected by aeration, very resistance to erosion corrosion

pumps, valves, heat exchanger, pipe and fittings, bubbles caps.

used for its resistance to sulfuric acid environments over the

entire concentration range

used at temp as high as 1000F

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Fig 7.5 Corrosion of Duriron by sulfuric of

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concentration
and
temperature.

High silicon Cast Irons

DURICHLOR: Duriron+%4Cr +Mo

High resistance for oxidizing agents

Protective oxide films: H2SO4
Resistance to errosion cor.
much more corrosion resistant to HCl than the alloy without
Mo

Used in industry for all concentrations of HCl

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Heat-resistant cast iron

3.5-5.6% of Si and 1.2-15% of W on a weight basis
A graphite-containing, heat-resistant cast iron
having intermediate layers, in which W and Si are
concentrated, in the boundaries of graphite particles and a
matrix.
for exhaust equipment members used at temperatures
exceeding 800 C

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 A heat resistant cast iron-nickel-chromium alloy

outstanding in creep fracture strength at high temperatures
resistance to thermal shock
Composition by weight %
C: 0.3-0.6, O<Si2.0, O<Mn2.0, Cr: 20-30, Ni: 30-40,
W: 0.5-5.0, N: 0.04-0.15, B: 0.0002-0.004, Ti: 0.04-0.50,
0.07<Al0.50, the balance being substantially Fe.

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QUOTE
If you dont like something, change it!
If you cant change it, change your attitude!
Dont complain!

Thanks
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