MetallographyandMicrostructuresofCastIron-ThaiThavorn.pdfVIP

Metallography and Microstructures of Cast Iron Janina M. Radzikowska, The Foundry Research Institute, Krako´w, Poland CAST IRON is an iron-carbon cast alloy with Fe Fe C occurs only at the temperature 723 3 Preparation for Microexamination other elements that is made by remelting pig 2 C (1333 4 F), while equilibrium of iron, scrap, and other additions. For differentia- phases Fec Fe Cgr occurs at the tempera- Preparation of cast iron specimens for micro- tion from steel and cast steel, cast iron is defined ture 738 3 C (1360 5 F). So, in the range structural examination is difficult due to the need as a cast alloy with a carbon content (min 2.03%) of temperatures 738 to 723 C (1360 to 1333 F), to properly retain the very soft graphite phase, that ensures the solidification of the final phase the austenite can decompose only into a mixture when present, that is embedded in a harder ma- with a eutectic transformation. Depending on of ferrite with graphite instead of with cementite trix. Also, in the case of gray irons with a soft chemical specifications, cast irons can be non- (Ref 2). ferritic matrix, grinding scratches can be difficult alloyed or alloyed. Table 1 lists the range of The previous considerations regard only pure to remove in the polishing process. When shrink- compositions for nonalloyed cast irons (Ref 1). iron-carbon alloys. In cast iron, which is a mul- age cavities are present, which is common, the The range of alloyed irons is much wider, and ticomponent alloy, these temperatures can be cavities