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Study on the Microstructure and Liquid Phase Formation in a Semisolid Gray Cast Iron

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Abstract

The development of high-quality semisolid raw materials requires an understanding of the phase transformations that occur as the material is heated up to the semisolid state, i.e., its melting behavior. The microstructure of the material plays a very important role during semisolid processing as it determines the flow behavior of the material when it is formed, making a thorough understanding of the microstructural evolution essential. In this study, the phase transformations and microstructural evolution in Fe2.5C1.5Si gray cast iron specially designed for thixoforming processes as it was heated to the semisolid state were observed using in situ high-temperature confocal laser scanning microscopy. At room temperature, the alloy has a matrix of pearlite and ferrite with fine interdendritic type D flake graphite. During heating, the main transformations observed were graphite precipitation inside the grains and at the austenite grain boundaries; graphite flakes and graphite precipitates growing and becoming coarser with the increasing temperature; and the beginning of melting at around 1413 K to 1423 K (1140 °C to 1150 °C). Melting begins with the eutectic phase (i.e., the carbon-rich phase) and continues with the primary phase (primary austenite), which is consumed as the temperature increases. Melting of the eutectic phase composed by coarsened interdendritic graphite flakes produced a semi-continuous liquid network homogeneously surrounding and wetting the dendrites of the solid phase, causing grains to detach from each other and producing the intended solid globules immersed in liquid.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by São Paulo Research Foundation—FAPESP under Grant Numbers 2011/19997-0 and 2015/06965-3. The authors would like to thank IMBIL Industry and Maintenance of Pumps ITA Ltda. for producing the cast iron and the Joining and Welding Research Institute, Osaka University, and the School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Campinas—UNICAMP, for providing the necessary facilities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, 13083860, Brazil

    Davi Munhoz Benati & Eugenio José Zoqui

  2. Research Division of Materials Joining Mechanism, Department of Welding Mechanism, Joining and Welding Research Institute, Osaka University, Ibaraki, Osaka, 5670047, Japan

    Kazuhiro Ito, Kazuyuki Kohama & Hajime Yamamoto

Authors
  1. Davi Munhoz Benati
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  2. Kazuhiro Ito
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  3. Kazuyuki Kohama
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  4. Hajime Yamamoto
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  5. Eugenio José Zoqui
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Correspondence to Eugenio José Zoqui.

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Manuscript submitted December 20, 2016.

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Benati, D.M., Ito, K., Kohama, K. et al. Study on the Microstructure and Liquid Phase Formation in a Semisolid Gray Cast Iron. Metall Mater Trans B 48, 2293–2303 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11663-017-1018-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11663-017-1018-5

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