Volume Fraction Of Phase Research Articles

Effects of Al addition on the microstructure and mechanical properties of AlxCoCrFeNi2.1 high-entropy alloys

To investigate the effect of Al content on the microstructure evolution and properties of AlxCoCrFeNi2.1 high-entropy alloys, the AlxCoCrFeNi2.1 high-entropy alloys (=0.5, 0.8, 1.0, 1.2 and 1.5) were prepared by vacuum arc melting. The results show that all the designed alloys are composed of single face-centered cubic (FCC) and ordered body-centered cubic (B2) phases. With the increase of Al content, the volume fraction of FCC phase decreases while that of B2 phase increases. In addition, the increasing Al content leads to the sequential increase of the hardness and yield strength of the alloys, while both the plasticity and compressive strength decrease. And the corresponding wear rate decreases from 312.9 × 10−5 mm2 N−1 to 55.3 × 10−5 mm2 N−1. It is revealed that the wear mechanism transforms from initially dominant abrasive wear with adhesive wear as a supplement to the mechanism dominated by adhesive wear with abrasive wear as a supplement, and finally to the oxidation wear plus abrasive wear. The experimental results show that the Al1.2CoCrFeNi2.1 alloy has the most excellent comprehensive performance, with an average hardness of 441 HV, compression ratio of 36.4%, compressive strength of 2618 MPa and wear rate of 68.0 × 10−5 mm2 N−1.

New strategies based on liquid phase sintering for manufacturing of diamond impregnated bits

Infiltration is an extensively used technique in the production of Diamond Impregnated Bits (DIBs) commonly used for drilling in both mineral exploration and the Oil&Gas industry. This paper describes research into liquid phase sintering (LPS) as an alternative to commonly used infiltration processes. The great wear resistance and high cutting ability necessary for these tools in turn requires a high diamond concentration and a large volume fraction of wear-resistant components, such as tungsten carbide and/or eutectic tungsten carbide particles. With relatively large particles that do not contribute to densification, the LPS system researched was designed with a relatively large amount of permanent liquid phase sintering, with, rearrangement being selected as the primary densification mechanism owing to the stability of the hard phases. After testing various binder phases and evaluating the influence of the liquid phase volume fraction and presence of some sintering aids, results are promising. Bonds with better sintering behaviour were characterized, while hardness, microstructure, abrasive wear resistance, and interaction with diamonds were studied. The proposed 35NiP25Cu40WC bond processed by LPS attained hardness of 66 HRA and wear coefficient of 20 mm3/MPa, levels similar to those obtained by hot pressed components currently used in the diamond drilling tool industry (19 mm3/MPa).

Numerical Simulation of the Two-Phase Flow Dynamics in an Alkaline Water Electrolyzer Considering Difference in Bubble Diameter

For more efficient hydrogen production, predicting the characteristics of bubble flow inside a water electrolyzer is critical since bubbles affect ion transport, and electrode coverage by bubbles influence overpotentials and the entire electrolysis performance. Transport of bubble significantly depends on its size. In this study, a CFD model of an alkaline water electrolyzer which considers difference in sizes of generated bubbles was developed. The model treats bubbles of different sizes as different gas phases, which are independent of each other. The total bubble mass source for a given current density is divided into phases of each bubble size according to experimental visualizations. Drag, virtual mass, lift, wall lubrication, and turbulent dispersion forces are considered as interaction between gas and liquid phase.The following three sizes of bubbles were considered: diameters d = 36 μm (small), 75 μm (medium), and 208 μm (large). The entire calculation domain represents the anode side of a zero-gap monopolar alkaline water electrolyzer. Figure 1 shows the volume fraction fields of the three gas phases (i.e., bubble sizes) at a constant current density of 0.6 A/cm2. The bubbles are generated on the electrode surface at the z=0 plane. As the liquid phase forms a circulating flow inside the electrolyzer, small bubbles are transported along the circulating downstream flow due to smaller buoyancy force compared to their viscous drag. In contrast, large bubbles flow out directly to the upper outlet because buoyancy force dominates. This result points out the need to consider the difference in bubble diameter for designing flow field inside alkaline water electrolyzer.[Acknowledgements]This study was based on results obtained from the Development of Fundamental Technology for Advancement of Water Electrolysis Hydrogen Production in Advancement of Hydrogen Technologies and Utilization Project (P14021) commissioned by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).Fig. 1. Total gas phase volume fraction field obtained from the sum of the volume fraction field for each size bubble, and its experimental visualization. Figure 1

Vibration analysis of magneto-electro-elastic sandwich plate with auxetic graphene reinforced metal matrix composite core

This research addresses analytical solutions for vibration performance of simply supported sandwich plate subjected to coupled mechanical-electric-magnetic-thermal loads. The plate is made of graphene reinforced metal matrix composite (GRMMC) core and magneto-electro-elastic (MEE) face sheets. Three graphene distribution patterns, FG-X, FG-O, and UD are considered for evaluating the reinforcement efficiency of graphene. The Reddy’s higher order shear deformation plate theory and Hamilton’s principle are employed to formulate the equations of motion of the sandwich plate. Then, using double trigonometric functions for variables and applying Bubnov–Galerkin procedure, the system of nonlinear second-order differential equations is constructed to reveal the natural frequency, frequency ratio, and dynamic response of the sandwich plate. The influences of graphene distribution patterns and volume fraction, magnetic and electric potentials, temperature change, and volume fraction of piezoelectric phase are discussed in details. This research provides basis for the design of sandwich composite structures, especially smart structures and devices.

Unveiling the effect of Nb and Zr additions on microstructure and properties of β Ti-25Ta alloys for biomedical applications

This study aims to analyze the influence of niobium and zirconium in the structure, microstructure, and mechanical properties of quaternary Ti-25Ta-Zr-Nb alloys system: Ti-25Ta, Ti-25Ta-10Zr-15Nb, and Ti-25Ta-20Zr-30Nb (wt%). The structural and microstructural analyses were performed using X-ray diffraction, as well as optical, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Rietveld method was used for calculating the volume fractions of crystalline phases and values of β lattice parameters. Williamson-Hall's equation calculated the micro-strain and average size of the β-phase crystallite. The mechanical properties were analyzed by microhardness and Young's modulus measurements. The results show that the different heat treatments influence the structure of the materials and the mechanical properties: Rapid cooling treatments induced the formation of α″ and β for Ti-25Ta-10Zr-15Nb (TTZN1), while the treatments with slow cooling induced the formation of α phases. The Ti-25Ta-20Zr-30Nb (TTZN2) alloy is a stable β, so heat treatments could not change the crystalline structure. To Ti-25Ta alloy, in all study conditions, the alloy has α + α″ phases. Regarding the lattice parameters, adding niobium to the alloys increased the lattice parameter of the β phase. Concerning the β phase micro-strain and average crystal size, the heat treatments increased the average size and micro-strain due to the crystallization of the crystals. β-Ti alloys in the solubilized heat treatment condition, followed by rapid cooling, showed better mechanical biocompatibility results due to the low elastic modulus, highlighting the metastable β Ti-25Ta-10Zr-15Nb alloy, which showed a low elastic modulus of 50 GPa.

The effect of different heat treatments on stress corrosion cracking of ZK60 magnesium alloy

Magnesium alloys used as degradable biomaterials often experience failure due to the combined effects of corrosive environments and stress. In this study, ZK60 magnesium alloy in three different states, i.e., solution treatment (T4), T4 followed by artificial aging (T6), and deep cryogenic treatment followed by T6 (DT6), were subjected to slow strain rate tensile tests in both air and phosphate-buffered saline environments. Comprehensive microstructural characterization revealed that the T4 specimen exhibited fewer blocky second-phase particles, whereas the volume fraction of the second phase significantly increased after T6 treatment. Moreover, noteworthy is that the introduction of deep cryogenic treatment before T6 treatment led to a significant increase in the length and quantity of rod-shaped precipitates β1′. Slow strain rate tensile tests in PBS revealed that the T4 specimen exhibited better stress corrosion cracking resistance due to the lesser amount of the second phase in the matrix, which mitigated localized corrosion. Conversely, the T6 and DT6 specimens, having a higher volume fraction of nanoscale second-phase precipitates within the matrix, exhibited improved strength compared to the T4 specimen but exacerbated micro-galvanic corrosion, resulting in a faster corrosion rate and consequently poorer stress corrosion cracking resistance. In summary, controlling the distribution of second-phase precipitates is paramount for enhancing the stress corrosion cracking resistance of ZK60 magnesium alloy.

Investigation of Digestion Processes in the Stomach and Duodenum using Computational Fluid Dynamics Model

The stomach and intestines play an important role in homogenizing the contents of the tract, mixing food with enzymes. The study of digestion processes in a fed state remains difficult by experimental methods. Using computational fluid dynamics models it is possible to obtain flow characteristics at any point in the computational domain. At the previous stages of research, we developed a model to describe the flow of a multiphase multicomponent mixture in the antroduodenum, taking into account the processes of mass transfer between phases, biochemical reactions, mass sources and effluents. In this article, we propose an improvement of the model for describing the multiphase flow in the whole stomach and duodenum, taking into account the gas phase. The mathematical formulation of the problem includes the balance equations of mass and momentum for a multiphase medium with mass sources. Boundary conditions take into account the peristalsis of the tract. In numerical experiments we studied the influence of the density of food particles on the distribution of volume fractions of phases, mass fractions of food components and enzymes, pH level in the digestive tract. In the future, it is necessary to continue working with the rheological properties of the flow.

Impacts of Abnormal Nanoindentation Points on Micromechanical Properties and Content of Phase in Hydrated Cement Paste

During nanoindentation analysis of cementitious materials, data points with abnormal load-depth curves are often obtained. This study investigates the effect of these abnormal indentation points (AIP) on the micromechanical properties and content of phase in hydrated cement paste calculated by nanoindentation test combined with deconvolution analysis, including the least-square-estimation (LSE) and maximum-likelihood-estimation (MLE) methods. The results indicate that the AIP is mostly associated with phases with low mechanical properties, and the exclusion of AIP significantly affects the volume fractions of micropore phase and low-density calcium silicate hydrate, while the mechanical properties of phases keep stable except that the mechanical properties of micropore phase are slightly increased by the exclusion of the AIP. The phase contents derived based on LSE showed a more significant change than those derived based on the MLE when AIP was excluded from indentation data. In addition, the phase content derived by nanoindentation analysis was compared to that derived by other analysis methods, including mercury intrusion and quantitative x-ray diffraction.

Improving piezoelectric energy harvesting performance through mechanical stiffness matching

The mechanical energy transfer between the source structure and active material in piezoelectric energy harvesters is investigated here. First, an analytical prediction to improve mechanical energy transfer into the piezoelectric material is proposed and validated by tailoring the stiffness of the beam to off-the-shelf piezocomposites through numerical models and experiments. An experimental study is then presented whereby the mechanical properties of freeze cast piezocomposites are controlled by adjusting the volume fraction of piezoceramic and epoxy filler phases. This offers a new approach for tailoring the mechanical properties of piezocomposites to maximize mechanical energy transfer into the material via stiffness matching.

Microstructure evolution of FD-POEM powders during high-temperature plasma spheroidization

The freeze–dry pulsated orifice ejection method (FD-POEM) can be coupled with plasma spheroidization (PS) as an advanced approach for fabricating spherical refractory powders used in laser additive manufacturing. However, the microstructure evolution of FD-POEM powders, which include components of various melting points, during ultrahigh-temperature PS treatment remains unclear. In this work, the morphology, chemical composition, and microstructure of MoSiBTiC alloy powders, as representative PS powders, were systematically investigated. The mesh-structured FD-POEM powders underwent complete densification, resulting in a 52 % reduction in particle size. The PS powders were composed of coarse solid solution Mo (Moss) and fine eutectic Mo5SiB2/TiC phases, consistent with the composition of additively manufactured MoSiBTiC alloys. With an increase in Si content, the volume fraction of fine Mo5SiB2 phases increased, resulting in increased Vickers hardness. Notably, the oxygen content of FD-POEM powders decreased by > 99 %, owing to the effective elimination of surface oxides on the initial elemental powders during ultrahigh-temperature PS treatment. This research provides an innovative approach for reducing the oxygen content in refractory powders to be used for additive manufacturing. Enhanced understanding of the microstructure evolution of PS powders can facilitate the composition optimization of refractory powders and development of a microstructure–property database for additively manufactured materials.

Structure Optimization and Performance Evaluation of Downhole Oil–Water Separation Tools: A Novel Hydrocyclone

Abstract Based on the principle of cyclone separation and 3D printing technology, a novel variable pitch hydrocyclone structure was proposed for the axial flow hydrocyclone separators of oil wells. The structural parameters of this variable pitch hydrocyclone were optimized via a combined approach of the Plackett–Burman design, response surface design, and computational fluid dynamics. A quadratic polynomial mathematical relationship between significant structural parameters and separation efficiency was established. The effects of the inlet flowrate, split ratio, and oil phase volume fraction on oil–water separation performance were systematically analyzed. A laboratory test system for oil–water swirl separation was constructed to verify the accuracy of numerical simulation results and the efficiency of the optimized structure. The optimal overflow split ratio, inlet flowrate, and oil concentration for the hydrocyclone are 30%, 96 m3/day, and 2%, respectively. The combination of these optimal parameters results in an experimental separation efficiency of 99.38%, which is higher than that of the conventional structure (98.8%). The experimental results are in good agreement with the simulation results.

Enhancing the strength of Sc-containing Al-Cu-Li alloys by modifying the precipitation behavior through plastic deformation and heat treatment

Al-Cu-Li alloys are used extensively in the aerospace manufacturing industry for their outstanding properties, however, the addition of trace Sc elements will form high-temperature insoluble (Cu, Sc)-containing phases during homogenization leads to a decrease in age-strengthening, and there is a limited investigation on how to overcome this unfavorable factor. In this work, the effects of plastic deformation coupled with heat treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Sc-containing Al-Cu-Li alloy were systematically investigated by using age-hardening curves and room-temperature tensile tests combined with characterization by TEM, EBSD, and SEM/EDS. The results show that plastic deformation before high-temperature treatment fragments and promotes the dissolution of coarse phases, reduces the development of (Cu, Sc)-containing enriched phases, and simultaneously increases the content of Cu atoms within the Al matrix. Among all precipitates (GPB zones, S phases, T1 phases) after T6 aging, T1 phases act as the dominant strengthening phase of the alloy. At the same time, we found that the decrease in the Cu-containing residual phase after solid solution treatment will result in a remarkably increasing number density and volume fraction of T1 phases at the peak aging. In a word, we obtain a good strength-ductility trade-off (the yield strength is ∼500 MPa while maintaining ∼10% elongation) Al-Cu-Li alloy with Sc element by optimizing the distribution of Cu elements and modulating the aging precipitation behavior. Our proposed process is expected to provide an experimental and theoretical guide toward the development of Al-Cu-Li alloys with superior properties.

Effect of liquid inclusions on the elasto-mechanical properties of solid-liquid composites

Solid-Liquid Composites (SLCs) are a class of soft materials with soft solid matrix encapsulating liquid inclusions. These novel composite materials have a wide range of potential applications, including thermal management, biomedicine, soft-robotics, and flexible electronics [1,2]. By manipulating the type and volume of the liquid inclusion, the properties of SLCs can be fine-tuned to suit specific requirements. In this work, a dilute SLC is developed using commercial grade silicone (Smoothon Ecoflex 00-30) as the solid phase and laboratory-grade Glycerin as the liquid inclusion. While Eco-flex 00-30 mimics the behavior of a certain class of human tissues [3], Glycerin was selected as it is nontoxic and immiscible with silicone. A novel fabrication technique was used for the precise distribution of the liquid inclusion in the uncured soft polymeric material. The elastic properties of the SLCs were then determined experimentally for various volume fractions of the inclusion phase. In the second part, experimental data were used to characterize and compare its properties with various linear-elastic and Hyper-elastic material models. The fabricated SLCs exhibit properties similar to biofidelic materials in literature.

Pickering high internal phase emulsions stabilized by metal-organic framework nanoribbons

Pickering high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) stabilized by colloidal particles are of great practical significance in the formulation of food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, paint products and the chemical oil flooding. Herein, we report that a manganese-based metal–organic framework (MOF) (Mn3(BTC)2 (BTC = 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate)) nanoribbons synthesized by a simple solution method can stabilize water-in-oil (W/O) high-viscosity Pickering HIPEs with crude oil as oil phase for more than one month at 43 °C. The Mn3(BTC)2 nanoribbons assemble at the oil/water interface of HIPE, owing to its advantageous structural features with the size of several micrometers, thickness of about 100 nm and amphiphilicity originated from the hydrophilic metal ions and hydrophobic organic ligands. The phase behavior and properties of the as-prepared HIPEs strongly depend on the MOF concentration (CMOF) and internal phase volume fraction of water (Fw) of emulsion. The MOF dispersions and crude oil are miscible into stable W/O HIPEs at Fw = 75 % when the CMOF ranges from 50 ppm to 5000 ppm. More interestingly, the viscosity of W/O emulsions greatly increases as the Fw varying from 50 % to 80 % and a viscosity of 4.5 Pa·s is obtained at CMOF = 2000 ppm and Fw = 80 %, which is nearly 400 times higher than that of crude oil. Moreover, the pressure generated by HIPEs flowing in core is about 40 times more than that of water injection and can remain the highest stable value substantially. These results show that the MOF dispersions are favorable to form stable W/O emulsions with high internal phase volume fraction, which has a great potential in improving oil displacement efficiency of chemical flooding.

Study on flow and heat transfer characteristics of salt solution ice slurry

As a phase change material, ice slurry allows the storage of thermal energy in the form of latent heat. This has great advantages in terms of reducing energy consumption and environmental protection, and is being widely used. In this study, based on the Eulerian-Eulerian CFD model and the Population Balance Model (PBM), the flow and heat transfer characteristic of salt solution ice slurry was simulation studied, which included the pressure drop, friction coefficient, volume fraction, distribution of ice crystals and local heat transfer coefficient during the flow and solidification of salt solution ice slurry in different conditions. And the experimental system is set up to verify the results of the model and analyze the variation rules of these parameters. The results showed that in salt solutions with different concentrations, when the flow rate and solid phase volume fraction increase, the pressure drop and local heat transfer coefficient of the ice slurry will increase. The surface heat transfer coefficient reached to 2.5 × 103 W m-2 K-1, 2.9 × 103 W m-2 K-1, and 3.2 × 103 W m-2 K-1 when ice crystal volume fraction was 5 %, 10 %, and 15 %, respectively. The study will contribute to understanding of the changes in basic characteristics of salt solution slurry during the flow and phase transition processes.

Influence of varying oil phase volume fractions on the characteristics of flaxseed-derived diglyceride-based Pickering emulsions stabilized by modified soy protein isolate

This research aimed to create Pickering emulsions using modified soy protein isolate (SPI) as a stabilizer and flaxseed-derived diglyceride (DAG) as an oil phase. The SPI was modified through a process involving both heating and ultrasound treatment. The result indicated that the droplet size of emulsions increased with the increase in oil content (p < 0.05). For instance, the largest droplet size (23 µm) was observed at an oil-to-SPI dispersion ratio of 4:1 ratio (φ = 80), whereas the smallest droplet size (6.39 µm) was noticed at the 1:4 ratio. During the 7-day storage period, the emulsions with a 4:1 ratio (φ = 80) showed the lowest droplet size increase (from 23 µm to 25.58 µm). In contrast, the emulsions with a 1:1 ratio displayed the highest increase (from 19.39 µm to 74.29 µm). Creaming index results revealed that emulsions with a 4:1 ratio (φ = 80) showed no signs of creaming and phase separation than all other treatments (p < 0.05). Backscattering fluctuations (ΔBS) and turbiscan stability index (TSI) showed that emulsions with 4:1, 2:1, and 1:1 oil-to-SPI dispersion ratios had consistent ΔBS curves with higher and TSI curves with lower values. Optical microscopy, confocal laser scanning, and cryo-scanning electron microscopy revealed that emulsions with oil-to-SPI dispersion ratios of 4:1 and 2:1 had well-organized structures with no visible coalescence. Macromorphological and microrheological investigations demonstrated that emulsions with 80% oil content had the highest viscosity, both moduli, elasticity index, macroscopic viscosity index, and the lowest fluidity index and solid–liquid balance values. Moreover, these emulsions were more resistant to centrifugation and storage environments. In conclusion, the study determined that flaxseed-derived DAG-based high internal phase Pickering emulsions (φ = 80) had superior stability, improved viscoelasticity, and better rheological properties.

High internal phase emulsions stabilized by pea protein isolate-EGCG-Fe3+ complexes: Encapsulation of β-carotene

Protein complexes have great potential for forming and stabilizing high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) loaded with bioactive compounds. In this study, we investigated the potential of three types of complexes, namely pea protein isolate (PPI), PPI-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and PPI-EGCG-Fe3+, to form and stabilize HIPEs with a 75% oil phase volume fraction. Initially, the impact of pH and emulsifier type on emulsions performance was investigated. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and particle size analysis showed that all three complexes could form HIPEs that remained stable under acidic and neutral conditions. These emulsions contained uniform oil droplets coated by a layer of the complexes. Notably, the PPI-EGCG-Fe3+ complexes formed HIPEs with the highest thermal and storage stability, which was attributed to the denser and thicker interfacial coatings. These emulsions also protected encapsulated β-carotene from degradation when exposed to light and thermal stress conditions. Furthermore, we measured lipid digestion and β-carotene bioaccessibility in the emulsions using an in vitro digestion model. The PPI-EGCG-Fe3+ stabilized emulsions not only exhibited slow fatty acid release but also enhanced β-carotene bioaccessibility (46.5%) under simulated small intestine conditions. This study demonstrates the potential of using protein-polyphenol-Fe3+ complexes to form and stabilize HIPEs, which may then be used to enhance the bioaccessibility and bioactivity of hydrophobic nutraceuticals.

Design, fabrication, and characterization of high-entropy alloys (HEAs) of the type TiVCrX (X = Al, Mn, Mo)

According to Zhang et al. (Prog Mater Sci 61:1, 2014, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmatsci.2013.10.001), High-Entropy Alloys (HEAs) are an emerging class of advanced materials that contain multiple elements in equiatomic or near equiatomic concentrations. In recent years, extensive efforts have been made to design HEAs with suitable microstructures and superior properties. This work reports the preliminary results of fabrication and characterization of three HEAs (TiVCrAl, TiVCrMn, TiVCrMo) with equiatomic compositions. These HEAs were designed with the purpose of producing a single-phase BCC, according to calculations with the HEAPS (Martin et al. in Comput Phys Commun 278:108398, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpc.2022.108398) and CALPHAD programs. Microstructures consisting of BCC + C14 Laves phases (Mn), a mixture of two cubic phases (Mo) and a single BCC phase, were found, basically consistent with CALPHAD predictions, although the phase volume fractions and compositions were not accurately predicted.Graphical abstract

Efficient searching of processing parameter space to enable inverse microstructural design of materials

Materials design can be accelerated by the use of physics-based forward models that predict the properties of new materials. In cases where the properties of the material depend on its microstructure, the models can be used as part of an optimization scheme to predict the microstructural features that are required to achieve the design objectives. Producing these microstructures, however, requires that we determine the processing parameters necessary to produce the target microstructure. Here we demonstrate the use of Bayesian optimization using simple analytic forward models to enable this inverse process design in the context of optimization of isothermal heat treatment of a commercial aluminum alloy to achieve (i) a target volume fraction of a specific intermetallic phase, (ii) a specified aluminum grain size distribution, and (iii) both objectives simultaneously. We discuss the use, and limitations, of Bayesian optimization with a scalar desirability function for solving multi-objective problems, and demonstrate Bayesian optimization with expected hypervolume improvement to determine the Pareto front describing the trade-off between multiple objectives. We compare Bayesian optimization with a genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) and show that while the two approaches produce similar Pareto fronts, the Bayesian optimization converges on the solution more quickly. We further illustrate the effect of parametric uncertainty in the forward models on the uncertainty of the Pareto front. Finally, we demonstrate experimentally that the optimized process parameters do indeed allow us to make samples with the desired microstructure.

Effect of Varying the Volume Fractions of Ledeburitic Cementite and Graphite on the Tribological Properties of Commercially Used Cast Irons

The types and volume fractions of the carbonaceous phases present in the microstructures of cast irons strongly influence their properties. In the case of materials used commercially for tools, an important parameter with regard to their use is the resistance to abrasion wear. Cementite is the main reinforcing phase in cast irons and is present in significant quantities. In addition, cast irons contain graphite precipitates, which also affect wear by interacting with the matrix of the alloys. In this study, abrasive wear tests were carried out on a group of cast irons with different chemical compositions and, consequently, different microstructural morphologies. Due to the wide scatter of the results and the commercial rather than laboratory nature of the alloys studied, it was decided to use analysis of variance (ANOVA) to determine whether there was a statistically significant difference between the volume fractions of the carbonaceous phases. The volume fractions of graphite and ledeburite were then related to the results of the tribological tests. Statistical analysis confirmed significant differences in the results obtained for the alloys tested. A continuous increase in the volume fractions of both graphite and ledeburitic cementite is unfavourable in terms of the wear resistance and friction coefficient values. Optimum results can be obtained by balancing the volume fractions of the two phases observed. In addition, the phase composition of the material matrix plays an important role in wear, as the differences in the matrix of the tested alloys modify the nature of the influence of cementite and graphite on the wear.