Nitrogen in cast iron

How much nitrogen

Source of nitroge n

compounds.
Nitrogen can enter the iron I when the moulds and/or cores contain high
nitrogen content resins.

Metallurgical effects
These are seldom obvious except in very heavy sections.
ns by nitrogen contents
increase in tensile strength
ingot moulds as it lowers

can result fromthe increase in nitrogen

Some of the advantages
cast irons arise from this effect.
and may lead to white iron
carbide and pearlite

Compacted graphite in 12 in dia. bar containing 0.015%

nitrogen. Etched 4% picrai. x 60 high nitrogen content

~
 Nitrogen pinholes «used by high-nitrogen resin-bonded cores. The defects occur where
the core forming the hub of the casting meets the greensand mould

Effect on soundness
Excessive nitrogen contents appear as blowholes and fissures In the castings. It is
u~ommon for nitrogen blowholes to occur below about 0.013 per cent nitrogen in light
section castings and 0.008 per cent in heavy castings. These defects most frequently
arise In thick section castings made from cupola iron of low carbon equivalent prepared
from high steel charges.
Nitrogen fissure defects occur adjacent to cores bonded with high nitrogen content
resins. These often appear as bubbles or fissures close to a re-entrant angle in a
casting. Blowholes or fissures due to nitrogen may appear to have bright surfaces or
contain a continuous layer of graphite. However, If the defects have been exposed to the
air, or the casting has been heat treated, they may have dull oxidlsed surfaces.

How to avoid the effects of high nitrogen content

The effect of nitrogen can be neutralised by the addition of titanium to give a content
of 0.02-0.03per cent in the iron before casting. Although additions of aluminium (to
give a content in the iron of 0.02-0.04per cent) are used to neutrallse nitrogen in the
production of large ingot moulds and heavy castings of similar application, aluminium
should never be added to iron for light section and general engineering castings (--
because it promotes hydrogen pinholes in such castings (see BCIRA Broadsheet 7).
Carburiser materials having a high nitrogen content must be avoided.
V
When defects are associated with moulds and cores bonded with high nitrogen content
resins, a lower nitrogen content resin should be substituted. Resins having below 3
per cent nitrogen are unlikely to give trouble but sometimes it may be necessary to
change to a nitrogen-free resin.
Recommended further reading
DAWSON (J.V.), SMITH (LW.L.) and BACH (B.B.)
Some effects of nitrogen in cast Iron. BCIRA Journal of Research and Development. 1953,v. 4, June,
pp. 540-552.
MOUNTFORD (F.A.)
The Influence of nitrogen on the strength, soundness and structure of grey cast iron. British Foundryman,
1966.v. 59,April. pp. 141-151.
External report 504.

Copies of any BCIRA Broadsheet can be obtained free of charge by BCIRA members
from British Cast Iron Research Association, Alvechurch, Birmingham B48 70B.

@ 1976 British CastIron ResearchAssociation,A/vechurch,Birmingham,B48 70B.

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Nitrogen in cast iron ~

How much nitrogen dissolves in cast

iron?
Up to about 0-04 per cent nitrogen dissolves in cast iron,
depending on the composition of the iron- A sharp drop in
solubility occurs when the iron solidifies, accounting for the
tendency of this element to causeblow-holes or fissures. In
practice, the nitrogen content of castings cast in sand
mouldscan vary betweenabout 0 - 001 per cent and O.015
per cent, but castings are likely to be unsound with nitrogen
contents above 0-010 per cent.

Sources of nitro~en
Some nitrogen in cast iron is introduced by the charge
materials,but morecommonlyit is absorbedinto the liquid
iron together with carbon from the coke in the cupola
furnace.High nitrogen contentsare most likely to occur in
cupola-meltedirons using high-steelcharges.When steel
scrap charges are carburized in electric furnaces, high
nitrogen contents can arise from the use of carburizing
materialssuch as petroleumcoke.that contain nitrogenous
compounds.
Nitrogen can enter the iron during casting, when the
graphite causesan increasein tensile strength but this
moulds, cores or both are bonded with high-nitrogen-
content resins. graphite structure is undesirablein somedesignsof ingot
moulds as it lowers the thermal shockresistance.
An increasein tensilestrengthof 30- 45 N/mm2 can result
Metallurgical effects from the increasein nitrogencontentarisingfrom the useof
high-steelchargesin the cupola. Someof the advantages
These are seldom obvious except in very heavy sections.
claimedfor the useof high-steelchargesfor high-duty cast
A compacted form of graphite is produced in heavy sections irons arise from this effect.
by nitrogen contents aboveabout 0.008 per cent. Compacted
High nitrogencontentspromotepearliteformationandmay
lead to white-iron structures.
In malleableirons, high nitrogen contentsstabilizecarbide
and pearliteand hinder annealing,but problemsof this type
are uncommon.
Nitrogen hasno significant effect in ductile irons.

Effect on soundness
Excessive nitrogen contents result in blow-holes and
fissures in the castings. It is uncommon for nitrogen blow-
holes to occur below about 0.013 per cent nitrogen in light-
section castings and O. 008 per cent in heavy castings.
These defects most frequently arise in thick-section castings
made from cupola iron of low carbon equivalent prepared
from high steel charges, or electric-melted irons carburized
with materials such as petroleum coke.

Fig. 1 Compacted graphite in 30 cm bar containing

0.015% nitrogen. Etched in 4% picral. x60
Fig. 3 Nitrogen pinholes caused by
high-nitrogen resin-bonded
cores. The defects occur where
the core forming the hub of the
casting meets the greensand
mould.

Nitrogen fissure defectsoccur next to coresbonded with RECOMMENDED FURTHER READING

high-nitrogen-contentresins.Theseoften appearasbubbles BClRA Broadsheet7*: Pinholesformed by hydrogengasduring
or fissurescloseto a re-entrantanglein a casting. solidification of iron castings.
BClRA Broadsheet49*: Holes in castingscausedby high-nitro-
Blow-holesor fissures due to nitrogen may have bright gen-contentresin-bindersystems.
surfaces or contain a discontinuous layer of graphite. BClRA Broadsheet165: Changesin the nitrogen content of cast
However,if the defectshavebeenexposedto the air, or the iron during melting and holding in a corelessinduction furnace.
castinghasbeenheat treated,they may havedull oxidized BClRA Broadsheet 218: The determination of nitrogen in
surfaces. chemicallybondedsands.
BClRA Broadsheet294: in ctst irons.
DAWSON,J. V., SMITH,L. W &; BACH,B. B. Someeffectsof
nitrogen in cast iron. BCIRA 355.
MOUNTFORD, F. A. The influence of nitrogen on the strength,
How to avoid the effects of high soundness and structure of grey cast iron. British Foundrymsn,
nitrogen content April 1966, Vol. 59, 141-151.
The effect of nitrogen can be neutralized by the addition of SIMMONS, W. Experiments into the complementary effectsof
hydrogen and nitrogen in the fonnation of gas holes in iron
enough titanium to give a content of 0.02-0.03 per cent in castings. BCIRA Repon 1122.t
the iron before casting. Although additions of aluminium SMITH, L. W. L. Detennination of the nitrogen content of carbon
(to give a content in the iron of 0.02-0.04 per cent) are materials. BCIRA Repon 1177.t
used to neutralize nitrogen in the production of large ingot GREENHILL, J. M. & REYNOLDS,N. M. Nitrogen defects in iron
moulds and heavy castings for similar applications, castings. BCIRA Repon 1189.t
aluminium should never be addedto iron for light-section and EVANs, E. R. Nitrogen in cast irons-and its neutralization by
general engineering castings because it promotes hydrogen aluminium. BCIRA Repon 1260.t
pinholes in such castings (seeBCIRA Broadsheet 7*). The effects of alloying elements in cast iron-5: nitrogen. BCIRA
Repon 1299.t
Large amounts of carburizer materials having a high FALLON, M. J. Nitrogen pinhole defects in manensitic white iron
nitrogen content must be avoided. castings. BCIRA Repon 1635.t
When defects are associatedwith moulds and cores bonded DAWSON,J. V. The influence of nitrogen on the tensile properties
of blackhean malleable cast irons. BCIRA Repon 1674.t
with high-nitrogen-content resins, a resin with less nitrogen
DAWSON,J. V. The litrogen on the structure and
should be substituted. Resins with less than 3 per cent
properties ofwhitehc iron. BCIRA Repon 1709.t
nitrogen are unlikely to give trouble, but sometimes it may
be necessaryto change to a nitrogen-free resin. tAvailable only to BCIRA Members.

Memberscan obtain free copies of any BCIRA Broadsheet from BCIRA, Alvechurch, Birmingham B48 7aB
@ 1989BCIRA