Effect of FeSi additive in dual-chamber sample cup on thermal analysis characteristic values and vermiculating rate of compacted graphite iron

Thermal analysis plays a key role in the online inspection of molten iron quality.Different solidification process of molten iron can be reflected by thermal analysis curves,and silicon is one of important elements affecting the solidification of molten iron.In this study,FeSi75 was added in one chamber of the dual-chamber sample cup,and the influences of FeSi75 additive on the characteristic values of thermal analysis curves and vermiculating rate were investigated.The results show that with the increase of FeSi75,the start temperature of austenite formation TALfirstly decreases and then increases,but the start temperature of eutectic growth TSEF,the lowest eutectic temperature TEU,temperature at maximum eutectic reaction rate TEM,and highest eutectic temperature TERkeep always an increase.The temperature at final solidification point TEShas little change.The FeSi75 additive has different influences on the vermiculating rate of molten iron with different vermiculation,and the vermiculating rate increases for lower vermiculation molten iron while decreases for higher one.According to the thermal analysis curves obtained by a dual-chamber sample cup with 0.30wt.%FeSi75 additive in one chamber,the vermiculating rate of molten iron can be evaluated by comparing the characteristic values of these curves.The time differenceΔtERcorresponding to the highest eutectic temperature TERhas a closer relationship with the vermiculating rate,and a parabolic regression curve between the time differenceΔtERand vermiculating rateηhas been obtained within the range of 65%to 95%,which is suitable for the qualified melt.

Thermal fatigue and wear of compacted graphite iron brake discs with various thermomechanical properties

The increase in payload capacity of trucks has heightened the demand for cost-effective yet high performance brake discs.In this work,the thermal fatigue and wear of compacted graphite iron brake discs were investigated,aiming to provide an experimental foundation for achieving a balance between their thermal and mechanical properties.Compacted graphite iron brake discs with different tensile strengths,macrohardnesses,specific heat capacities and thermal diffusion coefficients were produced by changing the proportion and strength of ferrite.The peak temperature,pressure load and friction coefficient of compacted graphite iron brake discs were analyzed through inertia friction tests.The morphology of thermal cracks and 3D profiles of the worn surfaces were also discussed.It is found that the thermal fatigue of compacted graphite iron discs is determined by their thermal properties.A compacted graphite iron with the highest specific heat capacity and thermal diffusion coefficient exhibits optimal thermal fatigue resistance.Oxidization of the matrix at low temperatures significantly weakens the function of alloy strengthening in hindering the propagation of thermal cracks.Despite the reduced hardness,increasing the ferrite proportion can mitigate wear loss resulting from low disc temperatures and the absence of abrasive wear.

STUDY ON NODULE RATIO AND COMPACTED GRAPHITE RATIO OF IRON FLUID TREATED BY RARE EARTH MAGNESIUM ALLOY QUICKLY EXAMINED BY CONCENTRATED DIFFERENCE FIXING OXYGEN

The article uses the method of regression statistics to obtain the regression formula of iron fluid nodule ratio Q and compacted graphite ratio R, through rare earth magnesium treatment. At the same time it has given thejudging figure of Q and R, considering oxygen activity and temperature. When using oxygen activity to judgenodule ratio and compacted graphite ratio of the ironfluid treated by rare earth magnesium alloy, its limit value changes with the change of temperature.

Effects of alloy elements on ductility and thermal conductivity of compacted graphite iron

The infl uence of Si, Sn, Mo and Ni on the ductility and thermal conductivity of compacted graphite iron(CGI) was investigated. Metallographic observation and Differential Scanning Calorimetry(DSC) experiments were carried out to analyze the roles of various additions in the eutectoid reaction. The experimental results showed that the ductility of CGI is proportional to the ferrite fraction, so moderate Si content could dramatically improve the ductility by increasing the ferrite fraction. DSC measurements showed that Mo has moderate inhibition on eutectoid transformation during both the heating and cooling processes, while the sample without Sn obviously broadens the three-phase region. Vermicularity and ferrite are known to improve thermal conductivity, and the former plays a more important role. Besides, among the alloy elements investigated, Sn has the greatest negative effect on conductivity, followed by Ni and Mo having the smallest effects.

Influence of cooling rate and antimony addition content on graphite morphology and mechanical properties of a ductile iron

Cooling rate and inoculation practice can greatly affect the graphite morphology of ductile irons.In the present research,the effects of the cooling rate and antimony addition on the graphite morphology and mechanical properties of ductile irons have been studied.Three ductile iron castings were prepared through solidification under cooling conditions S(slow),M(medium)and F(fast).The cooling rates around the equilibrium eutectic temperature (1,150℃)for these cooling conditions(S,M and F)were set at 0.21℃·min -1 ,0.32℃·min -1 and 0.37℃·min -1 , respectively.In addition,four ductile iron castings were prepared by adding 0.01%,0.02%,0.03%and 0.04%(by weight)antimony,respectively under the slow cooling condition.The results show that the nodularity index,tensile strength and hardness of the ductile iron castings without antimony addition are all improved with the increase of cooling rate,while the ductile iron casting solidified under the medium cooling rate possesses the largest number of graphite nodules.Furthermore,for the four antimony containing castings,the graphite morphology and tensile strength are also improved by the antimony additions,and the effect of antimony addition is intensified when the addition increases from 0.01%to 0.03%.Moreover,the rare earth elements(REE)/antimony ratio of 2 appears to be the most effective for fine nodular graphite formation in ductile

Modelling of compacted graphite cast iron solidification-Discussion of microstructure parameters

A melt maintained for hours in a press pour unit allowed the following changes over time from spheroidal graphite to compacted graphite iron by casting thermal cups at regular time intervals.This provided extensive experimental information for checking the possibility of simulating solidification of compacted graphite irons by means of a microstructure modelling approach.During solidification,compacted graphite develops very much as lamellar graphite but with much less branching.On this basis,a simulation of the thermal analysis records was developed which considers solidification proceeding in a pseudo binary Fe-C system.The simulated curves were compared with the experimental ones obtained from three representative alloys that cover the whole microstructure change during the holding of the melt.The most relevant result is that the parameter describing branching capability of graphite is the most important for reproducing the minimum eutectic temperature and the recalescence which are so characteristic of the solidification of compacted graphite cast irons.

Quantitative models for microstructure and thermal conductivity of vermicular graphite cast iron cylinder block based on cooling rate

The relationships of cooling rate with microstructure and thermal conductivity of vermicular graphite cast iron(VGI) cylinder block were studied, which are important for design and optimization of the casting process of VGI cylinder blocks. Cooling rates at different positions in the cylinder block were calculated based on the cooling curves recorded with a solidification simulation software. The metallographic structure and thermal conductivity were observed and measured using optical microscopy(OM), scanning electrical microscopy(SEM) and laser flash diffusivity apparatus, respectively. The effects of the cooling rate on the vermicularity, total and average areas of all graphite particles, and the pearlite fraction in the VGI cylinder block were investigated. It is found that the vermicularity changes in parabola trend with the increase of cooling rate. The total area of graphite particles and the cooling rate at eutectoid stage can be used to predict pearlite fraction well. Moreover, it is found that the thermal conductivity at room temperature is determined by the average area of graphite particles and pearlite fraction when the range of vermicularity is from 80% to 93%. Finally, the quantitative models are established to calculate the vermicularity, pearlite fraction, and thermal conductivity of the VGI cylinder block.

Experimental and FEM Study of Coated and Uncoated Tools Used for Dry Milling of Compacted Graphite Cast Iron

Compacted graphite cast iron (CGI) has been the material for high-power diesel engines recently, but its increased strength causes poor machinability. In this study, coated and uncoated carbide tools were used in dry milling experiment and FEM simulation to study the machinability of CGI and wear behaviour of tools. The experimental and FEM simulation results show that coated tool has great advantage in dry milling of CGI. SEM and EDS analysis of tool wear indicate the wear morphology and wear mechanism. Adhesive wear is the main mechanism to cause un-coated tool wear, while abrasive wear and delamination wear are the main mechanism to cause coated tool wear. Stress and temperature distribution in FEM simulation help to understand the wear mechanism including the reason for coating peeled off.

Influence of fading on characteristics of thermal analysis curve of compacted graphite iron

In general, during the production of compacted graphite iron (CGI), the active residual magnesium reduces and the effect of inoculation fades after magnesium treatment. In this paper, characteristics of the thermal analysis curve of CGI are compared with those of ductile iron and grey cast iron. The fading effect on the compacted graphite percentage and thermal analysis curve were also studied. Results indicate that the undercooling of CGI is as low as that of ductile iron, but CGI shows evident recalescence. In fading process, the magnesium element acts with oxygen. For a decrease in magnesium content, both the compacted graphite percentage and the austenitic liquidus temperature increase. The temperature of eutectic undercooling (TEU) decreases before the flake graphite appears. After that, TEU increases quickly, up to as high as 20℃, and then gradually decreases. The evolution of recalescence degree is opposite to that of TEU.

Large-scale production of holey graphite as high-rate anode for lithium ion batteries

Lithium ion batteries(LIBs)have been widely used in portable and smart devices because of their high energy densities,long cycle life and environmental friendliness.In order to meet the evergrowing demand for human-beings utilizing electronic devices,electric vehicles and energy storage grids.

Microstructures of Developed Composite Graphite-Resin Electrodes

This paper focuses on the effects of compaction on the microstructure of graphite-resin electrochemical treatment electrodes. This was with a view to understanding the relationships between forming parameters and some performance-limiting structural parameters of the electrode. Graphite resin electrodes were developed from graphite rods reclaimed from primary cells. The rods were crushed to powder of various particle sizes and compressed into the graphite-resin electrodes. The microstructure of the graphite electrode was observed, effects of compaction force and particles sizes distribution on the microstructure of the electrodes were observed. SEM/EDX revealed that there is a lack of homogeneity in the distribution of micro-constituents, with compositional variations differing at the various spots. However, there is a prevalence of carbon and oxygen at almost all the spots. This tends to confirm the even distribution of the elements throughout the material. The pores in the electrodes were noticed to be uniformly sized and permeate throughout the entire structure of the electrode. These pores serve to increase the surface area of these electrodes and promote the adsorption of environmental pollutants.

Gravel hardness effect on compaction characteristics of gravelly soil

The compaction characteristics of gravelly soil are affected by gravel hardness.To investigate the evolution and influencing mechanism of different gravel hardness on the compaction characteristics of gravelly soil,heavy compaction tests and crushing tests were conducted on gravelly soils with gravels originated from hard,soft and extremely soft rocks.According to orthogonal experiments and variance analysis,it was found that hardness has a significant impact on the maximum dry density of gravelly soil,followed by gravel content,and lastly,moisture content.For gravel compositions with an average saturated uniaxial compressive strength less than 60 MPa,the order of compacted maximum dry density is soft gravels>hard gravels>extremely soft gravels.Each type of gravelly soil has a threshold for gravel content,with 60%for hard and soft gravels and 50%for extremely soft gravels.Beyond these thresholds,the compacted dry density decreases significantly.There is a certain interaction between hardness,gravel content,and moisture content.Higher hardness increases the influence of gravel content,whereas lower hardness increases the influence of moisture content.Gravelly soils with the coarse aggregate(CA)between 0.7 and 0.8 typically achieve higher dry densities after compaction.In addition,the prediction equations for the particle breakage rate and CA ratio in the Bailey method were proposed to estimate the compaction performance of gravelly soil preliminarily.The results further revealed the compaction mechanism of different gravelly soils and can provide reference for subgrade filling construction.

Effects of cooling rate on vermicular graphite percentage in a brake drum produced by onestep cored wire injection

In this research, a vermicular graphite cast iron brake drum was produced by cored wire injection in a one-step method. Silica sand and low-density alumina-silicate ceramic were used as molding materials in order to investigate the effect of cooling rate on percentage of vermicular graphite and mechanical properties of the brake drum casting. Several thermocouples were inserted into the casting in the desired positions to measure the temperature change. By means of one-step cored wire injection, the two residual concentrations of Mg and RE were effectively controlled in the ranges of 0.013%-0.017% and 0.019%-0.025%, respectively, which are crucial for the production of vermicular graphite cast iron and the formation of vermicular graphite. In addition, the cooling rate had a significant effect on the vermicular graphite percentage. In the case of the silica mold brake drum casting, there was an obvious difference in the cooling rate with the wall change, leading to a change in vermicular graphite percentage from 70.8% to 90%. In the low-density alumina-silicate ceramic mold casting, no obvious change in temperature was detected by the thermocouples and the percentage of the vermicular graphite was stable at 85%. Therefore, the vermicular graphite cast iron brake drum with a better combination of mechanical properties could be obtained.

Compacted graphite iron-A material solution for modern diesel engine cylinder blocks and heads

The demands for improved fuel economy,performance and emissions continue to pose challenges for engine designers and the materials they choose. This is particularly true for modern diesel engines,where the primary path to achieving improved engine performance and emissions is to increase the Peak Firing Pressure in the combustion chamber. The resulting increase in thermal and mechanical loading has required a change from conventional grey cast iron to Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI) in order to satisfy durability requirements without increasing the size or the weight of the engines. With at least 75% higher tensile strength,45% higher stiffness and approximately double the fatigue strength of conventional grey cast iron,CGI satisfies durability requirements and also provides the dimensional stability required to meet emissions legislation throughout the life of the engine. Currently,there are no CGI diesel engines running on the roads in North America. This is set to change considerably as new commercial vehicle and pick-up SUV diesel engines are launched with CGI cylinder blocks in 2008 and 2009. These initial programs will provide over 2 million CGI diesel engines when ramped to mature volume,potentially accounting for 10%-15% of the North American passenger vehicle fleet within the next four years.

Effect of Bi on graphite morphology and mechanical properties of heavy section ductile cast iron

To improve the mechanical properties of heavy section ductile cast iron, bismuth(Bi) was introduced into the iron. Five castings with different Bi content from 0 to 0.014 wt.% were prepared; and four positions in the casting from the edge to the center, with different solidifi cation cooling rates, were chosen for microstructure observation and mechanical properties test. The effect of the Bi content on the graphite morphology and mechanical properties of heavy section ductile cast iron were investigated. Results show that the tensile strength, elongation and impact toughness at different positions in the fi ve castings decrease with a decrease in cooling rate. With an increase in Bi content, the graphite morphology and the mechanical properties at the same position are improved, and the improvement of mechanical properties is obvious when the Bi content is no higher than 0.011wt.%. But when the Bi content is further increased to 0.014wt.%, the improvement of mechanical properties is not obvious due to the increase of chunky graphite number and the aggregation of chunky graphite. With an increase in Bi content, the tensile fracture mechanism is changed from brittle to mixture ductile-brittle fracture.

Mechanical characterization of Mg-B4C nanocomposite fabricated at different strain rates

Magnesium has wide application in industry.The main purpose of this investigation was to improve the properties of magnesium by reinforcing it using B4C nanoparticles.The reinforced nanocomposites were fabricated using a powder compaction technique for 0,1.5vol%,3vol%,5vol%,and 10vol% of B4C.Powder compaction was conducted using a split Hopkinson bar(SHB),drop hammer(DH),and Instron to reach different compaction loading rates.The compressive stress–strain curves of the samples were captured from quasi-static and dynamic tests carried out using an Instron and split Hopkinson pressure bar,respectively.Results revealed that,to achieve the highest improvement in ultimate strength,the contents of B4C were 1.5vol%,3vol%,and 3vol% for Instron,DH,and SHB,respectively.These results also indicated that the effect of compaction type on the quasi-static strength of the samples was not as significant,although its effect on the dynamic strength of the samples was remarkable.The improvement in ultimate strength obtained from the quasi-static stress–strain curves of the samples(compared to pure Mg)varied from 9.9% for DH to 24% for SHB.The dynamic strength of the samples was improved(with respect to pure Mg)by 73%,116%,and 141%for the specimens compacted by Instron,DH,and SHB,respectively.The improvement in strength was believed to be due to strengthening mechanisms,friction,adiabatic heating,and shock waves.

A reliable and consistent production technology for high volume compacted graphite iron castings

The demands for improved engine performance,fuel economy,durability,and lower emissions provide a continual challenge for engine designers.The use of Compacted Graphite Iron(CGI)has been established for successful high volume series production in the passenger vehicle,commercial vehicle and industrial power sectors over the last decade.The increased demand for CGI engine components provides new opportunities for the cast iron foundry industry to establish efficient and robust CGI volume production processes,in China and globally.The production window range for stable CGI is narrow and constantly moving.Therefore,any one step single addition of magnesium alloy and the inoculant cannot ensure a reliable and consistent production process for complicated CGI engine castings.The present paper introduces the SinterCast thermal analysis process control system that provides for the consistent production of CGI with low nodularity and reduced porosity,without risking the formation of flake graphite.The technology is currently being used in high volume Chinese foundry production.The Chinese foundry industry can develop complicated high demand CGI engine castings with the proper process control technology.

Eleciroreduction of Oxygen on Pyrolytk Graphite Electrode with Adsorbed Layer of Cobalt Tetra.sulfonaied Phthalocyaninc In Acetonitrile and Dimethylformamide

The catjpdoc polarization characteristics indicate that the presence of a pre-adsorbed surface layer of CoTSPc innibits the reduction of O2 to O2- on an ordinary pyroiytic graphite electrode (OPG) in AN and DMF solution of 0. 1 mol/L, TEAP, The transfer coefficient a and the heterogeneous rate constant k for this reaction or, OPG with and without pre-adsorbed CoTSPc obtained by rotating disk electrode method were found to be fairly close to thar obtained by cyclic voltammetry. The a remains almost the same, bat the k de creases by a factor of 2-5 with CoTSPc as compared with OPG alone. The possible reason is that the adsorbed CoTSPc as an anion renders the effective potential diffaence less negative, which thus lowers the rase of O2 reduction.

RATE OF INTRA-MOLECULAR CONTACT FORMATION IN SHORT TWO-DIMENSIONAL COMPACT POLYMERS CHAINS

It is important to know the rate of intra-molecular contact formation in proteins in order to understand how proteins fold clearly. Here we investigate the rate of intra-molecular contact formation in short two-dimensional compact polymer chains by calculating the probability distribution p（r） of end-to-end distance r using the enumeration calculation method and HP model on two-dimensional square lattice. The probability distribution of end-to-end distance p（r） of short two-dimensional compact polymers chains may consist of two parts, i.e. p（r） = p1（r） ＋ p2（r）, where p1（r） and p2（r） are different for small r. The rate of contact formation decreases monotonically with the number of bonds N, and the rate approximately conforms to the scaling relation of k（N）∝ N^-α. Here the value of α increases with the contact radius a and it also depends on the percentage of H （hydrophobic） residues in the sequences of compact chains and the energy parameters of ^εНН、 ^εНН and ^εpp. Some comparisons of theoretical predictions with experimental results are also made. This investigation may help us to understand the protein folding.

Kinetics of Reduction of Iron Oxide in CaO-SiO_2-Al_2O_3-Fe_tO Slags with Graphite Powder

The reduction rate of Fe^tO in CaOSiO_2Al_2O_3Fe_tO slags with graphite powder has been determined in an alumina crucible at 1 673-1 823 K. The effects of temperature, slag basicity and Fe_tO content on the reduction rate have also been discussed. Test results show that the reduction rate increases with the increase of temperature or Fe_tO concentration in slags, and the reduction rate has a parabolic relation with slag simple basicity or optical basicity. The maximum reduction rate is observed around CaO/SiO_2=1.5 of molten slags. The reaction order is 1.26 or 1.31, and the reduction activation energy is 126.8 or 129.7 kJ/mol respectively in regard to Fe_tO content or Fe_tO activity calculated by using regular solution model. The reduction rate of Fe_tO in CaOSiO_2Al_2O_3Fe_tO slags with graphite powder is in the range of 0.15×10^-4-0.86×10^-4 molO/cm^2·s.