The influence of chromium on mechanical properties of austempered ductile cast iron

Abstract

An investigation was carried out to examine the influence of microstructure and chromium on the tensile properties and plane strain fracture toughness of austempered ductile cast iron (ADI). The investigation also examined the growth kinetics of ferrite in these alloys. Compact tension and round cylindrical tensile specimens were prepared from ductile cast iron with Cr as well as without Cr. These specimens were then given four different heat treatments to produce four different microstructures. Tensile tests and fracture toughness tests were carried out as per ASTM standards E-8 and E-399. The crack growth mechanism during fracture toughness tests was also determined. The test results indicate that yield strength, tensile strength, and fracture toughness of ADI increases with an increase in the volume fractions of ferrite, and the fracture toughness reaches a peak when the volume fractions of the ferrite are approximately 60% in these alloys. The Cr addition was found to reduce the fracture toughness of ADI at lower hardness levels (<40 HRC); at higher hardness levels (≥40 HRC), the effect of chromium on the fracture toughness was negligible. The crack growth mechanism was found to be a combination of quasi-cleavage and microvoid coalescences, and the crack trajectories connect the graphite nodules along the way.