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Abstract
This study investigated the effect of magnesium and calcium as spheroidizers on the graphite microstructure in cast iron. The cast iron samples were melted in an induction furnace with charge of known composition and, magnesium and calcium of known percentages were added as spheriodizers to the molten metal in the mould during the casting process. From the microstructure of the as- cast specimens it was observed that the use of 100% Mg and a combined addition of 60% and 40%Ca as spheriodizers produced graphite spheroids instead of graphite flakes in the cast iron microstructure. The use of 100% Ca addition resulted in the production of graphite flakes in the specimen microstructure. The use of 80% Mg and 20% Ca resulted in the production of a chunky, stubby graphite microstructure, while the additions of 50% Mg and 50% Ca, 40%Mg and 60% Ca, and 20% Mg and 80% Ca resulted in the microstructure having a flaky graphite microstructure.
Highlights
The alloys of iron and carbon are the most important alloys in engineering applications
Calcium was the only spheroidizer used; the microstructure shows graphite flakes with dispersed and very isolated graphite nodules. This microstructure shows that calcium alone cannot be used as a spheroidizer
The presence of isolated nodules shows that the action of calcium as a deoxidizer and desulfurizer to promote nucleation of graphite nodules is not strong enough, resulting in the formation of graphite flakes
Summary
The alloys of iron and carbon are the most important alloys in engineering applications. Steels and cast iron being the most important alloys of iron and carbon. Cast iron offers the Design Engineer a family of casting alloys that offers a virtually unique combinations of low cost with castability, strength, machinability, hardness, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, thermal conductivity, damping and availability. According to their use, cast irons may be categorized in two groups, namely, general and special purpose grades. The general- purpose grades include gray, white, malleable and spheriodal cast irons. These are used for most engineering applications. The special purpose cast iron called alloy cast iron is used in extreme heat, corrosion, and abrasion conditions. (Rajan et al, 1988)
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