Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of Soaking Temperature on Carbide Precipitation, Hardness, and Wear Resistance of High-Chromium Cast Iron

  • Technical Article===Peer-Reviewed
  • Published:
Journal of Failure Analysis and Prevention Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Different variants of high-chromium cast iron are commonly used for wear-resistant applications in mining and steel industries. These alloys are often used in the as-cast condition that limits the optimization of wear properties through microstructural engineering. This paper aims at improving the wear resistance of 20Cr–2C cast iron through an inexpensive single-step heat treatment. In the present study, samples were soaked at temperatures between 700 and 1200 °C at an interval of 100 °C and were air-cooled for destabilization of primary carbide networks. Detailed microstructural analysis was carried out using a scanning electron microscope coupled with electron probe micro-analysis. Image analysis technique was used to determine the effect of soaking temperature on fraction of primary and secondary carbides. Hardness and dry sliding wear tests were conducted to determine the effect of microstructure on mechanical and wear properties. It was observed that the network of primary carbide began to break only at soaking temperature of 1000 °C and above. Up to 800 °C, there was coarsening of primary carbides that led to lowering of hardness and deterioration of wear resistance. At 900 and 1000  °C, precipitation of secondary carbides was observed. At 1100 °C, maximum hardness and wear resistance were achieved. This was attributed to disintegration of primary carbides and the highest fraction of finely dispersed secondary carbides. At 1200 °C, most of the secondary carbides dissolved in the matrix which resulted in sharp fall in hardness and wear resistance. Micro-mechanism of wear was studied using an optical laser scanning microscope. Post-wear hardness measurement confirmed that the extent of work hardening depends on destabilizing treatments. This study is expected to help the practicing engineers to improve life cycle of high-chromium cast iron components prone to wear.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. C.P. Tabrett, I.R. Sare, M.R. Ghomashchi, Microstructure-property relationships in high chromium white iron alloys. Int. Mater. Rev. 41(2), 52–89 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. D. Li, L. Liu, Y. Zhang et al., Phase diagram calculation of high chromium cast irons and influence of its chemical composition. Mater. Des. 30(2), 340 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. I. Fernandez, F.J. Belzunce, Wear and oxidation behavior of high chromium cast iron. Mater. Charact. 58(6), 669 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. S.B. Biner, Can. Metall. Q. 24, 155–167 (1985)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. L.M. Barker, Eng. Fract. Mech. 9, 361–369 (1977)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. X. Zhi, J. Xing, H. Fu, B. Xiao, Effect of niobium on the as-cast microstructure of hypereutectic high chromium cast iron. Mater. Lett. 62(6–7), 857–860 (2008)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. A. Bedolla-Jacuinde, R. Correa, J.G. Quezada, C. Maldonado, Effect of titanium on the as-cast microstructure of a 16% chromium white iron. Mater. Sci. Eng. A 398(1–2), 297–308 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. A.E. Karantzalis, A. Lekatou, H. Mavros, Microstructural modifications of as-cast high-chromium white iron by heat treatment. JMEPEG 18, 174–181 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-008-9285-6

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. M.X. Zhang, P.M. Kelly, J.D. Gates, The effect of heat treatment on the toughness, hardness and microstructure of low carbon white cast iron. J. Mater. Sci. 36, 3865–3875 (2001)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. I.R. Sare, Abrasion resistance and fracture toughness of white cast iron. Met Technol. 6, 412–419 (1979)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. A. Kootsookos, J.D. Gates, R.A. Eaton, Development of a white cast iron of fracture toughness 40 MPa √m. Cast Met. 7, 239–246 (1995)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. M. Radulovic, M. Fiset, K. Peev et al., The influence of vanadium on fracture toughness and abrasion resistance in high chromium white cast irons. J. Mater. Sci. 29, 5085–5094 (1994)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. I.R. Sare, B.K. Arnold, The influence of heat treatment on high-stress abrasion resistance and fracture toughness of alloy white cast irons. Metall. Mater. Trans. A 26, 1785–1793 (1995)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. X.L. Dun, K.P. Liu, H.S. Liu et al., Effect of multicomponent modifier on microstructure and mechanical properties of high Ni-Cr-Mo cast iron. Mater. Sci. Technol. 27, 1840–1845 (2011)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. C.P. Tabrett, I.R. Sare, The effect of heat treatment on the abrasion resistance of alloy white irons. Wear 203–204, 206–219 (1997)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. C.P. Tabrett, I.R. Sare, Effect of high temperature and sub-ambient treatments on the matrix structure and abrasion resistance of a high chromium white iron. Scr. Mater. 38(12), 1747–1753 (1998)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. O.N. Dogan, J.A. Hawk, G. Laird II, Solidification structure and abrasion resistance of high chromium white irons. Metall. Mater. Trans. 28A, 1315–1328 (1997)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. O.N. Dogan, J.A. Hawk, Effect of carbide orientation on abrasion of high cr white cast iron. Wear 189, 136–142 (1995)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. O.N. Dogan, G. Laird II, J.A. Hawk, Abrasion resistance of the columnar zone in high cr white cast irons. Wear 181–183, 342–349 (1995)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. S. Turenne, F. Lavallee, J. Masounave, Matrix microstructure effect in the abrasion resistance of high chromium white cast iron. J. Mater. Sci. 24, 3021–3028 (1989)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. M. Durand-Charre, Microstructure of Steels and Cast Irons, Microstructure of Steels and Cast Irons (Springer, New York, 2004), pp. 51–73

    Book  Google Scholar 

  22. C.P. Tabrett, I.R. Sare, Fracture toughness of high-chromium white irons: influence of cast structure. J. Mater. Sci. 35, 2069–2077 (2000)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. J. Asensio, J.A. Pero-Sanz, J.I. Verdeja, Microstructure selection criteria for cast irons with more than 10 wt% chromium for wear applications. Mater. Character. 49, 83–93 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. G.L.F. Powell, G. Laird II, Structure, nucleation, growth and morphology of secondary carbides in high chromium and Cr-Ni white irons. J. Mater. Sci. 27, 29–35 (1992)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. G.L.F. Powell, J.V. Bee, Secondary carbide precipitation in an 18 wt% Cr-1 wt% Mo white iron. J. Mater. Sci. 31, 707–711 (1996)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. A.E. Karantzalis, A. Lekatou, E. Diavati, Effect of destabilization heat treatments on the microstructure of high-chromium cast iron: a microscopy examination approach. JMEPEG 18, 1078–1085 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-009-9353-6

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. J.T.H. Pearce, Examination of M7C3 carbides in high chromium cast irons using thin foil transmission electron microscopy. J. Mater. Sci. Lett. 2, 428–432 (1983)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. K. Kishore, M. Adhikary, G. Mukhopadhyay, S. Bhattacharyya, Development of wear resistant hammer heads for coal crushing application through experimental studies and field trials. Int. J. Refract Metal Hard Mater. 79, 185–196 (2019)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Authors express their sincere gratitude to Tata Steel Limited, Jamshedpur for allowing us to publish this work. Authors are thankful to supervisors and technicians of Scientific Services for preparation of metallography samples.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. R&D and Scientific Services, Tata Steel Limited, Jamshedpur, India

    Kaushal Kishore & Manashi Adhikary

  2. Department of Metallurgical Engineering, National Institute of Technology Raipur, Raipur, India

    Udit Kumar & Nanda Dinesh

Authors
  1. Kaushal Kishore
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Udit Kumar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Nanda Dinesh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Manashi Adhikary
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kaushal Kishore.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kishore, K., Kumar, U., Dinesh, N. et al. Effect of Soaking Temperature on Carbide Precipitation, Hardness, and Wear Resistance of High-Chromium Cast Iron. J Fail. Anal. and Preven. 20, 249–260 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11668-020-00836-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11668-020-00836-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation