The Effect of Nitrogen and Inoculation on the Tensile Properties and Microstructure of Cast Iron with Lamellar Graphite

Abstract

The main purpose with this paper is to show the effect of nitrogen and inoculation on the tensile properties and microstructure of cast iron with lamellar graphite. Casting experiments were performed with the main composition: 3.4 % C, 2.0 % Si, 0.7 % Mn, 0.5 % Cu. The nitrogen content was varied between 90-180 ppm and inoculant was added as 0, 0.2 or 0.4 % by weight. The addition of inoculant changed the graphite structure from distribution D/B/A to distribution A, according to ISO 945. The eutectic cell size decreased significantly. The addition of inoculant had no influence on the hardness. The addition of nitrogen shortened the graphite flakes and increased the hardness. The influence on the eutectic cell size was low and there was no significant effect on the graphite distribution. Tensile test samples were analysed by true stress – true plastic strain in terms of the flow relationships proposed by Hollomon, , and Ludwigson, . The stress-strain curves were fitted to polynomial functions of the 6:th to 8:th order before evaluating the constants in order to eliminate noise from the measurements. This approach also enabled the slope of the stress-strain curve to be evaluated at zero stress (Young’s modulus), resulting in plastic strain from stress levels close to zero. The Hollomon flow relationship failed to describe the deformation behaviour for the whole range of the stress-strain curve. The correction terms in the Ludwigson flow relationship resulted in a better fit. The addition of inoculant mainly affected the strength coefficient, . The addition of nitrogen also affected the constant. The main reason for this was that the addition of inoculant influenced the last part of the stress-strain curve while the addition of nitrogen had an effect over the whole range of the curve. The addition of nitrogen and inoculant increased the tensile strength from 288 MPa to 393 MPa and the total elongation at fracture from 0.8 % to 1.6 %.