Fatigue properties of ductile cast iron containing chunky graphite

Highlights: ► Experimental determination of high cycle fatigue properties of EN-GJS-400. ► Evaluation of the influence of chunky graphite morphology on fatigue life. ► Metallurgical analysis and microstructural parameters determination. ► Nodule counting and nodularity rating. - Abstract: This work deals with experimental determination of high cycle fatigue properties of EN-GJS-400 ductile cast iron containing chunky graphite. Constant amplitude axial tests were performed at room temperature under a nominal load ratio R = 0. In order to evaluate the influence of chunky graphite morphology on fatigue life, fatigue tests were carried out also on a second set of specimens without this microstructural defect. All samples were taken from the core of a large casting component. Metallurgical analyses were performed on all the samples and some important microstructural parameters (nodule count and nodularity rating, among others) were measured and compared. It was found that a mean content of 40% of chunky graphite in the microstructure (with respect to total graphite content) does not influence significantly the fatigue strength properties of the analysed cast iron. Such result was attributed to the presence of microporosity detected on the surface fracture of the specimens by means of electron scanning microscope.