Microstructure of vanadium-, niobium- and titanium-alloyed high-chromium white cast irons

Abstract

In the present work, additions of 2% vanadium, 2% niobium and 2% titanium were respectively made to a high-chromium white iron (17% Cr) to analyse the effect of these elements on the as-cast structure of the alloy, and their influence on the material's hardness. This study was carried out for different solidification rates, so the alloys were cast into wedge-shaped copper moulds. The recorded solidification rates for the ingots ranged from 1.5 K sec−1 for a 2 mm thickness section, to 35 K sec−1 for a 40 mm section. It was found that the addition of these carbide forming elements considerably increased the alloy's hardness by different mechanisms. Vanadium was shown to partition completely to the eutectic carbide phase which increased hardness and the volume fraction of this phase. Niobium and titanium formed extremely hard NbC and TiC respectively, which in turn produced a refinement in the structure and contributed to the increase in hardness of the iron. There was no evidence that these elements influenced the size and morphology of the eutectic carbide M7C3 for the experienced solidification rates.