Impact of local Si segregation on strain localization in ductile cast iron

Abstract

The distribution of Si content in tensile deformed ductile cast iron has been characterized using electron microscopy and correlated to the strain distribution determined based on 3D tomography data collected before and after tensile deformation and digital volume correlation analysis. The results show that the high plastic strain regions localize in bands consisting of large graphite nodules and deformed matrix with high Si content connecting the graphite nodules in the first-to-solidify regions. The bands are aligned about 45 with respect to the loading direction, which is close to the maximum shear direction.