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Microstructure Evolution and Hardness of Hypereutectic High Chromium Cast Iron after Tempering

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Abstract

The effect of the tempering process on the microstructure evolution and hardness of 35 wt.%Cr-4 wt.%C Hypereutectic High Chromium Cast Iron (HHCCI) was studied by means of the scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope. The results show that with the increase in tempering temperature, the primary and eutectic carbides of HHCCI have no significant change, and the precipitation of secondary carbides in the matrix increases at first and then decreases. From the TEM analysis results, the secondary carbides after tempering are M23C6, which are rectangular, and with the extension of tempering time, a small part of eutectic carbides decompose and dissolve into the matrix, and the secondary carbides continue to precipitate and grow, and the length can reach several microns to more than 10 microns. With the increase in tempering temperature, the hardness of HHCCI increases, and the hardness tends to decrease when it exceeds 500 °C. After tempering for 6 h, the precipitation of secondary carbides in the matrix reaches the maximum, and the hardness of HHCCI reaches the maximum. After tempering holding time for more than 6 h, the hardness of HHCCI decreases continuously due to the aggregation and growth of secondary carbides.

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Acknowledgment

The authors would like to thank the financial support for this work from National Natural Science Foundation of China (52075010), and Hebei Science and Technology Major Project (22281005Z).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Materials, Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials Processing Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Amount 100, Pingle Garden, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100124, People’s Republic of China

    Liu Yawei, Liu Wei, Fu Hanguang, Jin Tounan & Chen Zhengyang

  2. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou, 730050, Gansu Province, People’s Republic of China

    Yang Penghui

  3. Gangnuo New Materials Co., Ltd., Handan, 057650, Hebei Province, People’s Republic of China

    Yin Wenhang

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  1. Liu Yawei
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Correspondence to Fu Hanguang.

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Yawei, L., Wei, L., Penghui, Y. et al. Microstructure Evolution and Hardness of Hypereutectic High Chromium Cast Iron after Tempering. J. of Materi Eng and Perform 33, 2724–2735 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-023-08197-6

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