Effect of Cu on the microstructural and mechanical properties of as-cast ductile iron

The application of ductile cast iron in the heavy engineering components like, cask for the storage and transportation of radioactive materials, demands high strength with improved fracture toughness in as cast condition. The mechanical properties and fracture toughness of as-cast ductile iron (DI) is directly related to its structure property which can be controlled by proper inoculation, alloying elements and cooling rate during solidification. The aim of the present investigation is to study the effect of varying amount of Cu (0.07%, 0.11%, and 0.16%) with 1% Ni in the microstructural development of as-cast ductile iron with emphasis on its mechanical properties and fracture toughness. Three different ductile irons have been prepared using induction furnace in batches of 300 kg following industrial practice. Microstructural features (amount of phases, morphology, size and count of graphite nodules) and mechanical properties (tensile strength and hardness) of prepared DI were determined using standard methods. Dynamic fracture toughness was measured using instrumented Charpy impact test on pre-cracked specimens following the standard ISO-FDIS-26843. Additionally, fracture surfaces of broken tensile and pre-cracked specimens were observed by SEM to study the micro-mechanism of fracture. The pearlite fraction and the nodule count are found to increase with increasing amount of copper in ferritic-pearlitic matrix. The hardness and strength values are found to increase with increasing amount of pearlite whereas fracture toughness decreases. Fractographs of broken specimens exhibited decohesion of graphite, crack propagation from graphite interface and transgranular fracture of ferrite. (author)