Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of a Wear-Resistant Alloyed Ductile Iron Austempered at Various Temperatures

Abstract

To further improve the mechanical performance of a new type of alloyed bainitic wear-resistant ductile iron, the effects of the various austempering temperatures have been investigated on microstructure and mechanical behaviors of alloyed ductile iron Fe-3.50C-1.95Si-3.58Ni-0.71Cu-0.92Mo-0.65Cr-0.36Mn (in weight percent). This alloyed ductile iron were firstly austenitized at 1123 K (850 °C) for 1 hour and then austempered in a salt bath at 548 K, 573 K, and 598 K (275 °C, 300 °C, and 325 °C) for 2 hours according to time–temperature–transformation diagram calculated by JMatPro software. The microstructures of austempered wear-resistant ductile irons consist of matrix of dark needle-like ferrite plus bright etching austenite and some amount of martensite and some dispersed graphite nodules. With increasing the austempering temperature, the amount of ferrite decreases in austempered ductile iron, while the amount of austenite and carbon content of austenite increases. There is a gradual decrease in hardness and increase in compressive strength with increasing austempering temperature. The increased austenite content and coarsened austenite and ferrite can lead to a hardness decrease as austempering temperature is increased. The increased compressive strength can be attributed to a decreased amount of martensitic transformation. The alloyed ductile iron behaves rather well wear resistance when the austempering is carried out at 598 K (325 °C) for 2 hours. Under the condition of wear test by dry sand/rubber wheel, the wear mechanisms of austempered ductile irons are both micro-cutting and plastic deformation.