Investigation of microstructure and mechanical properties of steel fibre–cast iron composites

Abstract

The aim of the present experimental study was to investigate improvement of the toughness and strength of grey cast iron by reinforcing with steel fibres. The carbon content of the steel fibres was chosen to be sufficiently low that graphite flakes behaving as cracks were removed by carbon diffusion from the cast iron to the steel fibres during the solidification and cooling stages. To produce a graphite free matrix, steel fibres with optimum carbon content were used and the reinforced composite structure was cast under controlled casting conditions and fibre orientation. Three point bend test specimens were manufactured from steel fibre reinforced and unreinforced flake graphite cast iron and then normalising heat treatments were applied to the specimens at temperatures of 800 and 850uC. The fracture toughness and strength properties of the steel fibre reinforced material were found to be much better than those of unreinforced cast iron. The microstructures of the composite at the fibre-matrix transition zone were examined.

Impact toughness and microstructure of continuous steel wire-reinforced cast iron composite

“…A similar result was obtained for Si-Cr cast steel by Fu et al [7]. Another way to improve the mechanical properties of a brittle material is to produce its composite material by reinforcing relatively high tough material [8][9][10][11][12]. K IC and G IC of the composite were increased by adding tough reinforcement.…”

Mechanical and microstructural properties of low-carbon steel-plate-reinforced gray cast iron

“…The current results show that the flexural strength of the brittle gray cast iron was increased by reinforcing with high-strength steel plate and by increasing the volume fraction of reinforcement. Similar results were obtained by Akdemir et al (2005).…”

“…Kurt et al (2007) investigated the effect of heat treatment on the interface shear strength between gray cast iron and medium carbon steel. Akdemir et al (2005) worked on the strengthening and toughening of cast iron with a chemical composition of 3.5% C, 2.35% Si, and 0.72% Mn by reinforcing it with steel fiber (V f = 0.05) that has a chemical composition of 0.15% C, 0.15% Si, and 1.0% Mn. Properties of the interface between the matrix and the reinforcement are the most important factors in the manufacture of metal matrix composites.…”

Effect of heat treatment on fracture behavior of steel-wire-reinforced gray cast iron

“…The specimens were heated up to 850 • C at the same heating rate and held at this temperature for 15 min and then cooled in different environments i.e. in furnace, air, and water (Akdemir et al 2005;Şimşir 2007). …”

“…Another method is to produce composite material by ductile phase reinforcement in the toughening of relatively brittle metal matrix (Gerberich 1971;Akdemir et al 2005;Antolovich et al 1972a,b;Şimşir et al 2004;Şimşir 2007).…”