Erosive wear of low chromium white cast iron

Abstract

Low chromium white cast iron can be produced by post-inoculation and heat treatment to obtain better properties as a result of improved carbide distribution and matrix toughness. The measurement of the fracture toughness and erosive wear resistance indicated that inoculation changed the carbide distribution from continuous network to discontinuous network and refined grain size, which increased the fracture toughness and improved the erosion resistance. This trend was more prominent when the erodent was harder. The erodent hardness showed a remarkable effect on the erosion resistance of low chromium white cast iron. The resistance to erosion increased with matrix hardness for a soft glass sand erodent, while the resistance to erosion increased with fracture toughness for a hard silicon carbide erodent. For materials of identical hardness, the higher fracture toughness represents better erosion resistance. This paper also discusses the mechanism of erosion using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffractometer studies.