Effects of Alloying Elements on the Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of Heavy Section Ductile Cast Iron

The effects of alloying elements on the as-cast microstructures and mechanical properties of heavy section ductile cast iron were investigated to develop press die material having high strength and high ductility. Measurements of ultimate tensile strength, 0.2% proof strength, elongation and unnotched Charpy impact energy are presented as a function of alloy amounts within 0.25 to 0.75 wt pct range. Hardness is measured on the broken tensile specimens. The small additions of Mo, Cu, Ni and Cr changed the as-cast mechanical properties owing to the different as-cast matrix microstructures. The ferrite matrix of Mo and Ni alloyed cast iron exhibits low strength and hardness as well as high elongation and impact energy. The increase in Mo and Ni contents developed some fractions of pearlite structures near the austenite eutectic cell boundaries, which caused the elongation and impact energy to drop in a small range. Adding Cu and Cr elements rapidly changed the ferrite matrix into pearlite matrix, so strength and hardness were significantly increased. As more Mo and Cr were added, the size and fraction of primary carbides in the eutectic cell boundaries increased through the segregation of these elements into the intercellular boundaries.

Study on Thermal Simulation of Solidification in Heavy Section Ductile Iron

Using an artificial intelligent instrument and a computer feedback control method, a new thermal simulation systemis studied. Based on numerical simulation of casting solidification, a sample in the new system successfully simulatedthe solidification of heavy section ductile iron. The results show that the new thermal simulation system is accurateand reliable. Not only cooling curve but also graphite in the center of the thermal sample and the heavy sectionductile iron is identical. Realization of accurate thermal simulation of solidification in heavy section ductile iron willbe helpful for studying formation mechanism and controlling graphite degeneration in heavy section ductile iron.

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.

Development of thermal simulation system for heavy section ductile iron solidification

A new reliable thermal simulation system for studying solidification of heavy section ductile iron has been developed using computer feedback control and artificial intelligent methods. Results of idle test indicate that the temperature in the system responses exactly to the inputted control data and the temperature control error is less than ±0.5%. It is convenient to simulate solidification of heavy section ductile iron using this new system. Results of thermal simulation experiments show that the differences in nodularity and number of graphite nodule per unit area in the thermal simulation specimen and the actual heavy section block is less than 5% and 10%, respectively.

Effects of forced cooling on mechanical properties and fracture behavior of heavy section ductile iron

To develop materials suitable for spent-nuclear-fuel containers, the effect of forced cooling on mechanical properties and fracture toughness of heavy section ductile iron was investigated. Two cubic castings with different cooling processes were prepared: casting A was prepared in a totally sand mold, and casting B was prepared in a sand mold with two chilling blocks placed on the left and right sides of the mold. Three positions in each casting with different solidification cooling rates were chosen. In-situ SEM tensile experiment was used to observe the dynamic tensile process. Fracture analysis was conducted to study the influence of vermicular and slightly irregular spheroidal graphite on the fracture behavior of heavy section ductile iron. Results show that the tensile strength, elongation, impact toughness and fracture toughness at different positions of the two castings all decrease with decreasing cooling rate. With the increase of solidification time, the fracture mechanism of conventional casting A changes from ductile fracture to brittle fracture, and that of casting B with forced cooling changes from ductile fracture to a mixture of ductile-brittle fracture.

Low temperature impact strength of heavy section ductile iron castings:effects of microstructure and chemical composition

A foundry research project has been recently initiated at RTIT in order to better understand the fabrication of as-cast heavy section DI parts meeting high impact energy requirements at low temperatures.The experimental castings have the following dimensions 180 mm x 180 mm x 190 mm.The achieved as-cast Charpy impact strengths were as follows:17 J (RT),16 J (-20℃) and 11 J (-40℃).The foundry process,the chemical composition and the microstructure of this experimental casting are compared to the ones of various examples in order to show the detrimental effects of residual elements,microshrinkage and microcarbide on the impact properties.Finally,quality index empirical models (based on casting chemical compositions) are used to analyse the impact tests results.This paper illustrates that an adequate nodule count can contribute to reducing the detrimental effects of the residual elements and microsegregation.

Effect of Ce-Mg-Si and Y-Mg-Si nodulizers on the microstructures and mechanical properties of heavy section ductile iron

Effect of Ce-Mg-Si （light RE） and Y-Mg-Si （heavy RE） nodulizers on the microstructures and mechanical properties of heavy section ductile iron was investigated to develop the material of spent-nuclear-fuel containers. Two as-casts were treated by the same quality percentage of light RE and heavy RE, respectively. Four positions were chosen to stand for different solidification cool-ing rates of specimens. The tensile strength, elongation and impact toughness of specimens treated by heavy RE were all higher than those of the specimens treated by light RE. With the decrease of cooling rate, the mechanical properties of two specimens decreased, and the fracture morphology changed from ductile fracture to brittle fracture. The improving effect of mechanical properties between heavy RE and light RE was obvious due to the better anti-degradation property of heavy RE. While the solidification process lasted for more than 250 min, the improving effect was not obvious due to serious spheroidalization decaying.

微量元素铋、锑对大断面球铁件石墨形态的影响

本实验使用光学显微镜和分析电镜检查了石墨形态。实验结果表明，在含稀土的球铁中加入铋，锑可以使石墨球数量显著增加，并使石墨球更加细小、圆整，消除了大断面球铁中的畸变石墨。另外，检查结果发现，石墨核心主要是由稀土与铋、锑、铝等元素组成的复杂化合物。因此，可以认为导致大断面球铁石墨畸变的根本原因是缺乏足够的稳定结晶核心。

厚大断面球墨铸铁件常见缺陷的防止

概述了厚大断面球墨铸铁件易产生的几种缺陷及防止措施。并从原辅材料的选择,铁液化学成分的控制,球化和孕育处理以及合金元素的添加等几方面论述了厚大断面球墨铸铁件生产中应注意的一些问题及工艺参数。

大断面球墨铸铁件的应用与研究进展

介绍了近年来国内外大断面球墨铸铁件的生产应用情况以及研究进展,指出应进一步加强超长凝固条件下球墨铸铁的石墨形成演变规律、新型球化工艺、冷却强化工艺,以及计算机模拟铸件组织、缺陷、性能的研究。

原铁液硅含量对厚大断面球墨铸铁件石墨形态与力学性能的影响

为研究原铁液硅含量对厚大断面球墨铸铁件凝固组织石墨形态和力学性能的影响,使用高精度热模拟系统,考察了不同硅含量的原铁液经过相同球化孕育工艺处理后在相同凝固条件下获得的厚大断面球墨铸铁件试样的凝固组织石墨形态和力学性能。结果表明,球化孕育工艺相同时,随着原铁液硅含量提高,厚大断面球墨铸铁件石墨形态恶化,力学性能下降。当钇基重稀土球化剂和含Ba孕育剂加入量分别为1.8%和0.4%时,原铁液硅含量控制在1.2%以内,有利于防止厚大断面球墨铸铁件石墨畸变,提高铸件力学性能。

二次孕育对大断面球铁组织及性能的影响

介绍了4种不同类型的二次孕育剂对模拟尺寸为φ590 mm×800 mm的大断面球墨铸铁的组织及性能的影响。结果表明,二次孕育工艺对球铁尤其是大断面球铁的石墨及力学性能均有良好的改善作用;利用Si-Ba-Ca孕育剂进行孕育处理后再添加0.15%的该孕育剂作为二次孕育处理,可改善铸件组织及提高铸件力学性能;S-O孕育剂和Si-Ba-Ca孕育剂的效果相对较好,模拟铸件中碎块状石墨区域明显减少、石墨球形态圆整、球化率较高,还可以有效避免孕育衰退,使铸件获得较好的微观组织和最佳的综合力学性能。

大型风电球墨铸铁轮毂的质量控制

大型风电大断面球墨铸铁轮毂易产生石墨球粗大、石墨球数量减少、石墨漂浮、石墨球畸变、缩孔、缩松、浮渣等缺陷,结合国内外大断面球墨铸铁件生产情况,总结出了一系列大型风电球墨铸铁轮毂生产过程中的质量控制措施,并从原辅材料的选择,铁液化学成分的控制,合适的球化和孕育处理以及微量合金元素适当的添加等方面论述了厚大断面球墨铸铁轮毂生产中应采取的质量控制措施及工艺参数。应用这些措施,生产出了各项性能指标合格的风电轮毂。两年内生产4种共400件风电轮毂,轮毂合格率达96%以上。

物理模拟大断面球墨铸铁中异常石墨形态的观测

使用自行研制的大断面铸件冷却模拟装置,研究了不同共晶时间球墨铸铁样品的石墨形态及相关的力学性能。验证了这一装置对于厚大断面球铁铸件研究的有效性。随着共晶时间的延长,铸件的石墨形态逐渐偏离球形,向异常化趋势发展,石墨颗粒的圆整度随之降低。异常石墨的形态表现出相互联结的立体网络状。

微量铋和锑在大断面球墨铸铁中的冶金行为

概述了微量铋锑在大断面球铁中的作用。通过在生产条件下进行的模拟试验，总结出大断面球铁铋、 锑的临界加入量，且对稀土元素中和铋、锑的有害性作出了定量的评价。列举了部分大断面球铁铸件应用铋、 锑的生产实例。

硅对铸态厚断面高韧性球墨铸铁组织及性能的影响

研究了硅对铸态厚断面高韧性球墨铸铁组织及性能的影响。试验结果表明,硅主要分布于基体中,富集于奥氏体壳局部区域时,降低奥氏体壳的熔点,延长石墨自由生长的时间,造成石墨畸变。在铸件壁厚为100mm,树脂砂工艺条件下,硅含量为2.0%～2.5%时,石墨球化等级2～3级,球径等级6～7级,基体为铁素体。抗拉强度大于400 MPa,伸长率大于20%,-20℃时的冲击韧度在16J/cm2以上。硅含量达到2.9%时,易产生开花状石墨和碎块状石墨,铸件的性能严重下降。

大断面球墨铸铁件的质量控制措施

大断面球铁件易出现石墨球粗大,石墨球数量减少,石墨漂浮,石墨球畸变,开花状石墨、碎块状石墨等缺陷,所以大断面球铁件的制造技术一直是铸造界公认的一个难题。结合国内外大断面球铁件的生产现状,总结出了一系列在生产过程中通常采取的质量控制措施,例如加快冷却速度、严格控制化学成分,适当添加微量合金元素、合适的球化处理和孕育处理等。应用这些措施,可以得到内外质量优良的大断面球墨铸铁件。

防止大断面球铁石墨畸变的工艺措施

采用大断面球铁模拟方法 ,试验和分析了球化剂、悬浮浇注和微量元素对大断面球铁石墨组织的影响。试验结果表明 :运用混合球化剂、悬浮浇注工艺和加入微量元素 Sn、Sb,可以防止组织中的石墨畸变 。

锰对厚大断面球铁力学性能和断裂韧性的影响

研究了锰对厚大断面球铁的力学性能及断裂韧性的影响.研究结果表明,锰含量的增加导致试块心部的珠光体含量相对较高,在一定程度上缓解了由石墨形态恶化所造成的抗拉强度下降.随着冷却凝固速度的降低和锰含量的增加,冲击断口形貌和断裂韧性断口形貌由韧-脆混合型断口裂转变为脆性断口.利用扫描电镜动态拉伸原位厚大断面球铁中不同基体组织的断裂过程,珠光体在外力作用下比铁素体容易萌生裂纹,裂纹往往沿着相邻的珠光体团交界扩展.珠光体的塑韧性较低且脆性大.厚大断面球铁中控制珠光体含量,提高铁素体含量,可提高球铁塑韧性.

厚大断面RE-Mg球铁喷粉净化及球化效果的研究

利用自行研制的喷粉装置,首先探讨了厚大断面RE-Mg球铁喷粉脱硫净化的效果,然后研究了稀土镁球化剂在喷粉处理时的净化及球化效果,进而对喷粉脱硫、球化、孕育综合处理工艺进行了试验研究。结果表明:喷粉处理时活性CaO的脱硫率与CaC2的脱硫率相近,使得CaO取代CaC2成为可能,喷粉处理具有突出的净化作用,在脱硫的同时,使氧含量显著降低,同时使硫趋于均匀分布;喷粉球化是一种有效的新球化方法,可获得低硫、低氧、石墨圆整而细小的铸态铁素体球墨铸铁;综合喷粉球化工艺可将脱硫剂、球化剂、孕育剂同时喷入铁液,完成脱硫、球化、孕育过程,获得的球铁在强度较高的同时,使伸长率和冲击值也增大。