MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING ELSEVIER Materials Science and Engineering A234-236 (1997) 161-164 A new understanding on the relation among microstructure micro interfacial mechanical behaviours and macro mechanical properties in cast iron Z.R. He *, G.X. Lin, S. Ji Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Fuchou University, Fushou 380002, People's Republic of China Received 24 January 1987; received in cevised form 2 April 1997 Abstract By using an SEM, micro-specimens of grey and nodular iron with ferrite matrix were serially intermittently loaded, observed in situ and photographed, Their micro deformation and fracture processes, especialy interfacial mechanical behaviours, were investigated, Graphite internal fracture or graphitejmatrix interfacial cracking processes carried out until final fracturing was found out. It has been confirmed that graphites in cast iron could not always be regarded as voids with almost no strength and ‘2 new explanation on graphite related to mechanical properties has beea made, On the basis of the new understanding, an ‘optimum microstructure was designed and its excellent mechanical properties were proved. © 1997 Elsevier Science S.A. Keywords: Cast iron; Microstructure; Interfacial mechanical behaviours; Mechanical properties 1, Introduction Recently, some research results on cast iron have been difficulties explained by using conventional views based on taking graphits (G) as voids [1]. Deeper insight is thus required into the relation between mi crostructure and mechanical properties of cast iron giving a new explanation in the light of modern mate- rial science knowledge. In this paper, on the basis of the authors’ previous work (1,2] using SEM and its relevant technique, the micro processes of deformation and frac- ture in cast iron were observed. It should be proved that graphite particles can not be regarded as voids ‘with almost no strength and that G does not cause focal stress concentration effects yet. A new explanation for the role of graphite nodulization on strengthening and toughening of cast iron has been made in the light of micro mechanics and micro mechanism of deformation and fracture. On this understanding, an optimum mi- crostructure of cast iron was designed and its excellent ‘mechanical properties were experimentally proved. Corresponding author, Tel 5913713866. 86 SBISTIIS36; fxs +86 (0921-5093)97/817.00 © 1997 Elkever Science S.A. All rights reserved. PIT80921-5093(97)00147-0 2. Experimental procedures ‘The materials used are grey cast iron (GI) and nodu- lar iron (NI) with the following compositions (wt.%): Table 1 Grey east iron (GD) and nodular iron (ND compositions c oS Mo Me SP Fe GI 292 158 14 0036 0.057 Remains NI 340 309 053 0035 0030 0.037 Remains Both GI and NI were annealed at 740°C, 12h, and transformed into a ferrite (F) matrix. Then, some of the ‘NI were fast heated at 900°, 50 s and quenched again to form an optimum microstructure, All of them were cut into micro specimen having length x width x thickness respectively equal to 30 x 2.0 x 0.5 mm. Single notch having radius 0.2 and depth 0.5 mm at the middle was ‘cut by using a spark machine. After ground, electrically polished and lightly etched to reveal microstructures, the micro-specimens have been loaded, broken with a tensile holder in SEM, observed in situ and recorded in162 ZR, He eal morphology changes by photography. The length in- crease (Ai) corresponding to cach intermittent point was measured by using a micro scale indicator of tensile holder and converted into elongation (6). In addition, mechanical properties of NI with optimum microstruc ture have also been tested by using the standard tensile testing method. 3. Role of graphite in cast iron Conventionally, G in cast iron is taken as a void which cuts matrix, decreases carring area and brings on a local stress concentration. Therefore, it is expected that under loading a slip or cracking should take place first at the matrix ahead of the sharpest tip of a flake graphite due to where there is the maximum micro: notch stress concentration. However, our experiments have shown the opposite results: under loading the first crack initiation always takes place at the G/m interface nearly perpendicular to the maximum tensile stress axis,no any slip or cracking has been generated at the matrix adjacent to the sharpest graphite tip before. The critical strains of the first G/m interfacial erack initia- tion in both GI and NI, 4. and «,,, are the same, and 31 crack initiation (at top and bottom, on the and propagation in east ions (a) NI 9, Materials Science and Engineering A234-236 (1997) 161-168 Fig. 2. Plastic deformation or cracking in matrix ahead of Gim interfacial crack tip (arrows point to} (a) NI 4,= 055%: (b) GI 5,=0.18%, equal to 4, =0.03%, as shown in Fig. I (at the bottom and top, on the right) [2 after initiating, the interfacial crack goes through its propagated process along the Gm interface, or internal-fracture of graphite particle takes place, as shown in Fig. 1. All these results give no evidence supporting the conventional view but prove that no voids are on the place of G and are unable to be regarded as voids with almost no strength Although G is really not a void and its shape has no effect on interfacial crack initiation (2), its shape influe ences the interfacial crack path, as shown in Fig. 1. The crack goes along a nearly given direction of graphite flake in GI suddenly, while along a gradually changing direction of nodular surface in NT more slowly. After interfacially cracked, G served as voids being shaped like themselves, lead to a corresponding notch stress concentration so slip or cracking of matrix al- ways takes place at the sharp tip of cracked G, as shown in Fig. 2 4. Physical nature of sphe strengthening and tough ed graphite in ig of cast iron Conventionally, it is believed that NI strengthening ‘and toughening are due to the spheroidized graphiteZR He etal / Materials Science and Engineering A234-236 (1997) 161-164 13 and decrease of its micro-notch stress concentration, From the foregoing argument, however. G could not be regarded as @ void and has not caused notch stress concentration yet before its interfacial cracking, so a new spheroidized graphite strengthening and toughen- ing mechanism should be made. As indicated in Fig. 1 graphite shape has no effect on Gm interfacial crack initiation in evidence. This is because the crack initia- tion depends only on both the weak binding at the interface and the interfacial stress concentration result- ing from the incompatible strain between G and m (c, and G), and not on graphite shape [2]. Nevertheless, Fig. I'also shows that the G shape affects the G/m interfacial crack path. This is because crack propagates preferentially along the weak interface. The interfacial crack at flake graphite (G,), once initiating, imediately accelerately propagates with unchanged direction to a length of Gr (/), while the same at the nodular graphite (G,) propagates in a gradually changing direction. With increase of the crack-deflection angle @, the crack deflection effect rises, the mode I and effective stress intensity factor ky and key, and opening stress Gy, of the deflected crack tip all decrease and so crack growth rate decreases, even stops {I]. Increase in load is necessary, in order that the crack further propagates, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Meanwhile, its adjacent matrix slips, as shown in Fig. 2, to release partly stress concentration and also to make matrix strain strengthening. These effects are kept on until final fracturing. Thus, nodular graphite in NI appears as getting macroscopic strength- ening and toughening. Suppose after a Gim interfacial crack propagates completely, the G will become a void shaped like itself. Then, in this case, the conventional view points can be discussed, used to explain the rela- tion between G and mechanical properties in cast iron According to the Griffith equation (3) the tensile frac- ture strength (¢...,) of brittle-fractured GI is Vibiina o where Eis elastic modulus, 7 is surface energy and a is half crack length. Since jax /2 is relatively large, 7 is smaller due to the G, cutting matrix seriously, there- Fore, dog i8 Very OW, 22g < ym (yield strength of matrix), GL always takes brite fracture under low stress, and is strength, plastisity, toughness as well as fracture toughness all are low. For NI, plastic deforma- tion under tension appears obvious, so its fracture strength (¢,..,) should be revised as (3} Goxn= VIEQ Hip ® where 7) is plastic strain energy. Because p> > 7 Gay = 2 (half diameter of nodular graphite), dy < ly therefore Go. > 4m > xg NI appears as non-brit- Ue fracturing and ‘its strength, ductility, toughness as well as fracture toughness all are relatively high. In fact, Gim interfacial cracking keeps on until final fracture. Even then, there are still some nodular graphites un- cracking or some interfacial cracks propagate uncom pletely at fracture adjacency. So it can be expected that the real cast iron strength would behave better than according to the Griffith's fracture strength (¢,.) cac- ulated by taking all G as voids. In addition, during crack initiation and propagation processes in NI a larger plastic zone as well as more miero eracks form to release stress concentration, and there exist ligament or shearing ligament between’ main crack tip and micro cracks ahead, bridging and a large crack deflection, as shown in Fig. 3, all of them would make NI further strengthened and toughened macroscopically (1) 5. Optimum microstructure design in cast iron It has been accepted for a long time that graphite spheroidization plays a very important role on reform- ing cast iron microstructure for increasing its mechani- cal properties, because of the nodular void with the minimum stress concentration. From the previous state- ment G in the optimum microstructure designed should also be spheroidized because it leads to strengthening and toughening due to interfacial crack deflection (4) Thus, matrix is also strengthened and toughened through its slip to increase dislocation density (strain hardening) and to relax atom of stress concentration. In addition, the cracked nodular G is a nodular void of minimum notch stress concentration. In order to delay the G/m interfacial crack initiation and propagation a martensite shell (Ms) with high yield strength should be formed to encapsulate G, [5] because G/m interfacial crack can only be opened provided the thin Myy layer yields or breaks [6]. According to the principle of dual-phase steel [7] design a reasonable percentage (F +M) matrix is necessary to impede crack propaga- tion. The optimum microstructure is (F-+M)+G, + M,,. as shown in Fig. 4(a). It has been obtained by the composition and heat treatment control [6]. As © Fig. 3. Plastic zone micro-crack bridging or brkes fracture, shear ing ligament, crack deflection (as artows point to) and uncracked or luncomplete cracked graphites (as point to}164 ZR Me etal) Materials Science and Engineering A234-236 (1997) 161-168 » Fig. 4. Optimum microstructure and its Gi interfacial erack niia- tion (a) optimum microstructure (optically) (b) Gm interfacial crack initiation 4, = 0.20% pected, the cast iron with optimum microstructure (NI, 9) is typical by large critical strain of interfacial crack initiation, 5,=0.20% (Fig. 4(b), low crack growth rate and excellent mechanical properties. The tested data for mechanical properties of NI, . and the compared one of standard super-strength NI with bainite matrix, 120-90-02, are given as follows: NIoem > 180 MN/m?, 5 8.0%, g 12 a, 20 jem? 120-90-02 a, 974 MN/m?, 5 1.5%, (8) 6. Conclusion 1. Graphite-matrix interfacial cracking or graphite internal fracturing are carried out until final fracture, and not all G or G not in a whole loading period have already been separated completely from matrix in cast iron. So it is not proper to take graphites as voids in cast iron conventionally, 2. The achievement of strength and toughness of nodular iron is mainly resulting from G/m interfacial crack deflection, strain strengthening of matrix, the plastic zone and micro crack and the ligament bridging; after interfacial cracking, spherical cracks with mini= ‘mum stress concentration are also beneficial to the strengthening and toughening of NI 3, Based on the new understanding of graphite role in cast iron, the optimum microstructure consisting of G,, Ma, and F +M dual-phase matrix has been designed and experiments proved its having excellent mechanical properties. Acknowledgements ‘The authors are grateful to the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province for the financial sup- port. References [1] ZR. He, GX. Lin, Proceedings of FESS, Acta Mechanica Solida Sinica, special issue, 359 (199). [2] ZR. He, S. fi, GX. Lin, Acta Metallurgica SINICA (English edition) 68 (1993), [p] TL, Anderson, Fracture Mechanics. CRC Press, Boston, 1991 {s] S. Suresh, Met Trans, A, 14A (1983) [5] M. Tsujkava, M. Hino, M. Kawamoto, K. Okabayashi, in Imao Tamura (Pd), Heat and Sarface 1992, The Japan Society for Heat Treatment, Japan, 1992, pt (| ZR. He, 8. Ji, GX. Lin, Mater. Sc, Technol. 2 2) (1994) 6, DRA. Kot, B.L, Bratfitt (Eds) Fundamentals of Dual-Phase Steel, The Metallurgical Society of AIME, New York, 1981 [s] American Society For Metals, Metal Handbook, Ninth Edition, Vol I, Properties and Selection: Iron and Steel, 1978