Microstructural Evolution as a Function of Increasing Aluminum Content in Novel Lightweight Cast Irons
Author/s
Obregon, Alejandro; Sanchez, Jon Mikel; Eguizabal, David; Garcia, Jose Carlos; Arruebarrena, Gurutze; [et al.]Date
2021-10-18Keywords
Cast Iron
Microstructure
Casting
Modelling
Light-Weighting
Hardness
Abstract
In the context of the development of new lightweight materials, Al-alloyed cast irons have a great potential for reducing the weight of the different part of the vehicles in the transport industry. The correlation of the amount of Al and its effect in the microstructure of cast irons is not completely well established as it is affected by many factors such as chemical composition, cooling rate, etc. In this work, four novel lightweight cast irons were developed with different amounts of Al (from 0 wt. % to 15 wt. %). The alloys were manufactured by an easily scalable and affordable gravity casting process in an induction furnace, and casted in a resin-bonded sand mold. The microstructural evolution as a function of increasing Al content by different microstructural characterization techniques was studied. The hardness of the cast irons was measured by the Vickers indentation test and correlated with the previously characterized microstructures. In general, the microstructural evolution ...
Type
article