Metallurgy of Grey Cast Iron
Metallurgy of Grey Cast Iron
Metallurgy of Grey Cast Iron
Dr Sandip Bhattacharyya
Overview of cast iron
Iron with 1.7 to 4.5% carbon and 0.5 to 3% silicon
Lower melting point and more fluid than steel in
terms of better castability.
Low cost material usually produced by sand casting
A wide range of properties, depending on composition
& cooling rate
Strength
Hardness
Ductility
Thermal conductivity
Damping capacity
Effects of Elements on Cast Iron:
Vanadium (0.01-0.5%) : Increases hardness strength
and machinability.
Copper (0.02-2.5%) : Promotes formation of graphite.
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Effects of Elements on Cast Iron:
Phosphorus (1.0%) : Aids fusibility and fluidity but
induces brittleness.
Sulphur (0.1%) : Makes hard and brittle
Manganese (0.75%) : Harden the cast iron by
encouraging the formation of carbide.
Silicon (2.5%) : Promotes the formation of free graphite >
4% which makes the iron soft and causes brittleness
machinable.
Carbon : -6.67% Graphite (formed by slow cooling of
carbon) tough iron, easy to machine cementite (rapidly
cool) high tensile strength, difficult to machine element.
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Iron carbon diagram
Liquid
+ L L + Fe3C
Austenite
Carbon
910˚C Cast Iron
Steel + Fe3C
+
723˚C
+ Fe3C
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Production of cast iron
Gray cast irons are comparatively weakand brittle in tension due toits
microstructure; the graphite flakes have tips which serve as points of stress
concentration. Strength and ductility are much higher under compression
loads.
Typical properties
Depend strongly on casting shape & thickness
Low strength, A48 Class 20, Rm 120 MPa
High carbon, 3.6 to 3.8%
Kish graphite (hypereutectic)
High conductivity, high damping
High strength, A48 Class 60, Rm 410 MPa
Low carbon, (eutectic composition)
Graphite form
Uniform
Rosette
Superimposed (Kish and
normal)
Interdendritic random
Interdendritic preferred
orientation
Matrix structure
P e a r l i t e or ferrite
Tr a n s f o r m a t i o n is to ferrite when
Cooling rate is slow
High silicon content
High carbon equivalence
Presence of fine undercooled graphite
Properties of grey cast iron
M a c h i n e a b i l i t y is excellent
D u c t i l i t y is low (0.6%), impact resistance
low
D a m p i n g capacity high
T h e r m a l conductivity high
D r y and normal wear properties excellent
Applications
Engines
Cylinder blocks, liners,
B r a k e drums, clutch plates
P r e s s u r e pipe fittings
M a c h i n e r y beds
F u r n a c e parts, ingot and glass molds