Sintering Preparation of 15 wt% Cr Cast Iron as well as Its Mechanical Properties and Impact Abrasive Wear

Abstract

15 wt% Cr sintered High Chromium Cast Iron (HCCI) with full density was successfully prepared by Super-solidus Liquid Phase Sintering (SPLS) technique, with water atomized 15 wt% Cr high chromium cast iron powder as initial materials. Its densification behavior and microstructure evolution in SPLS process and mechanical properties were investigated systematically. Additionally, the impact abrasive wear resistance under different impact energies were also analyzed and compared with another sintered HCCI with 20 wt% Cr. The results indicated that sintering temperature has a strong influence on the sintered alloy’s density, hardness, impact toughness and bending strength. The M7C3 type (M is Cr and Fe) carbides were obviously coarsened as temperature increased and their rod-shaped branches were fully developed at the same time, thereby resulting in carbide network formation in the matrix. The reasonable sintering temperature range was 1195–1205 °C, and the optimum mechanical properties had the hardness of 63.9 HRC, bending strength of 2112.65 MPa and impact toughness of 7.92 J/cm2. What is more important impact abrasive wear test results indicated 15 wt% Cr sintered HCCI’s wear resistance could be comparable to 20 wt% Cr sintered HCCI under impact energy 1~3 J/cm2, and it is more cost effective.