Alloy steels and Cast iron
MECH2300 - Structures and Materials Materials Lecture 5 Dr Rowan Truss Division of Materials School of Engineering
Alloy steels
Many steels contain other elements other than Fe and C non-carbon elements < 5% - low alloy steels non carbon elements > 5% - high alloy steels
Why add alloying elements?
form solid solution with iron solid solution strengthening e.g. C, Cr, Mn, Ni, Mo, Si, Co form carbides (other than Fe3C) hardness and high Temp. strength e.g. Ti, W, V
Why add alloying elements? (cont.) combine with oxygen in liquid steel improved properties e.g. Al, Si, Cu, Mn remain undissolved as separate phase improved machinability, damping e.g. Pb, S, P control the phases present control hardenability (discussed next week)
Controlling phases present
alloying elements affect stability of different phases extends regions of Fe/C equilibrium phase diagram where one phase or another is stable some elements form intermetallics - i.e. new phase
a) austenite stabilizers
eg. Mn, Ni, Cu
b) ferrite stabilizers
eg. Si, Cr, W, Mo, V, P, Ti, Al
Stainless Steels
Steel to which a minimum 10.5% Cr added (usually more added) Cr gives corrosion resistance (discussed in later lectures) Ferritic, austenitic, martensitic (discussed next week), duplex structures depending on alloy composition
Alloy additions to Stainless Steel
Carbon
Usually kept low ~ 0.05% - avoid chromium carbide formation Higher C (0.15% - 1.2%) heat treatable to give martensite
Alloy additions to Stainless Steel
(Cont.)
Nickel
Promotes austenitic structure (304 grade 18%Cr,8%Ni fully austenitic) Lower Ni - duplex structure (ferritic/austenitic)
Chromium
Corrosion protection (minimum 10.5% -26%)
Molybdenum
Improves resistance to pitting corrosion (316 grade 2% Mo)
Manganese/Nitrogen
Promotes Austenite structure Used with or to partially replace Ni
Alloy additions to Stainless Steel
(Cont.)
Titanium
Strong carbide former, forms carbides rather than chromium carbides
steel designation systems
a system of numbers (and symbols) designates alloying type and carbon content
Niobium & tantalum
Similar effect to Ti (Ti usually preferred)
Silicon
Improves casting Improves scaling resistance for austenitic steels
AISI system
first two numbers - alloy type e.g 10XX - plain carbon steel 23XX - Nickel steel (3.5) 43XX - Ni-Cr-Mo, etc last two or three numbers - carbon content (hundredths of wt %) eg. 1030 plain with 0.3 wt% C 4340- Ni Cr Mo steel with 0.4wt% C
Designation system: stainless steel
AISI three digit
Eg 304, 316 Extra letters to differentiate new alloys ie. 304L, 316N
UNS number
Letter + 5 digits S-wrought, J cast, N nickel based
DIN, proprietary designations
Steel processing
Steel cast into ingots Hot rolled into billets, slabs, blooms Hot or cold rolled into final products
Hot rolling
Plastically deforming steel above recrystallisation temperature Grain structure is continually undergoing recrystallisation Little strengthening or work hardening so large changes in shape possible
Cold rolling
Deformation below recrystallisation temperature Changes grain structure into elongated / deformed grains increases strength but introduces anisotropic properties
CAST IRON
Fe/C alloys with 2 % < C < 4.5% - CAST IRONS related to eutectic at 4.2 % C and 1153 C Note: eutectics give lower melting point ie material is easier to cast
Note: phase diagram is slightly different to Fe/ Fe3C Fe3C - metastable true equilibrium phase - Graphite (C) Fe/graphite phase diagram Te (graphite) = 1153 C Te (Fe3C) = 1148 C
eutectic reaction involving carbide L + Fe3C favoured by: rapid cooling presence of Cr true equilibrium eutectic reaction (graphite) L + graphite favoured by: slow cooling presence of Si, P, high C
cast iron microstructures
white cast iron - contains Fe3C
(use Fe/Fe3C diagram)
white cast irons (typically 3% C) microstructure development
1300 C - 1148 C primary dendrites form at 1148 C L (2.0% C) + Fe3C(6.7% C) between 1148 C and 727 C solubility of C in decreases from 2.0% to 0.8% C more carbides ppt on eutectic carbide, or on interface between primary and eutectic at 727 C pearlite { (0.025%C) + Fe3C}
grey cast iron - forms graphite
(use Fe/graphite diagram)
final microstructure
dendrites transformed to pearlite carbide around pearlite eutectic
Properties of white cast iron
lots of Fe3C in microstructure little ductility in white cast iron very hard and brittle good wear resistance
malleable cast iron
to improve ductility of white iron reheat at 940C for 3 - 20 hrs clusters of graphite in iron cooled slowly, + more graphite cooled quickly, pearlite
White iron
Malleable iron
Yield stress strain at MPa break % White cast iron 275 very low maleable 310 pearlite matrix maleable 225 ferrite matrix 6-8% 10%
Microstructure of Grey Cast Iron
at eutectic L + graphite at eutectoid + graphite carbon forms graphite rosettes in a matrix of low carbon ferrite
properties
graphite forms long flakes easy path for cracks to propagate act as stress concentrators grey cast iron - brittle, low toughness graphite - high damping (machine bases) provides lubrication on sliding surfaces
Grey cast iron
Nodular Cast Irons (Ductile Iron)
to improve ductility and toughness add Mg, Ce just before casting nucleates graphite during solidification graphite now in nodular form
steel
Grey cast iron flake graphite
Ductile iron nodular graphite
