Microstructure and properties of Ti-Nb-V-Mo-alloyed high chromium cast iron

Abstract

The correlations of microstructure, hardness and fracture toughness of high chromium cast iron with the addition of alloys (titanium, vanadium, niobium and molybdenum) were investigated. The results indicated that the as-cast microstructure changed from hypereutectic, eutectic to hypoeutectic with the increase of alloy contents. Mo dissolved in austenite and increased the hardness by solid solution strengthening. TiC and NbC mainly existed in austenite and impeded the austenite dendrite development. V existed in multicomponent systems in forms of V alloy compounds (VCrFe8 and VCr2C2).With the increase of alloy additions, carbides size changed gradually from refinement to coarseness, hardness and impact toughness were increased and then decreased. Compared with the fracture toughness (6 J/cm2) and hardness (50.8HRC) without any alloy addition, the toughness and hardness at 0.60 V-0.60Ti-0.60Nb-0.35Mo (wt%) additions were improved and achieved to 11 J/cm2 and 58.9HRC, respectively. The synergistic roles of Ti, Nb, V and Mo influenced the solidification behaviour of alloy. The refinement of microstructure and improvement of carbides morphologies, size and distribution improved the impact toughness. © Indian Academy of Sciences.