Non-ferrous

Metal Alloys
Ferrous
Cast irons Steels
Low-C
Medium-C
High-C
Tool
Carbon Low&MediumAlloy High Alloy
Stainless
High-Mn
Tool
(Mo,V,W,Cr,Ni)
(>10% total
alloying
elements)
e.g.,
HSLA
(<10% total
alloying
elements)
Grey iron
Nodular iron
White iron
Malleable iron
Alloy cast irons
Ferrous Alloys
Cast Irons - Microstructures
Cast irons contain 2-4 wt.% C and 0.5-3 wt. % Si, can regarded ferrous alloys embedded with
a carbon-rich phase, which can be either graphite or cementite (Fe
3
C). Graphite offers no
strength nor toughness and acts like voids in the iron; cementite is very hard and brittle.
Grey iron: graphite
flakes embedded in
ferrite matrix,
cutting the
continuity of the
matrix and rendering
the metal high
brittleness.
Slow cooling
Nodular iron:
graphite nodules in
ferrite matrix,
significantly
improving toughness
and ductility of the
metal
Produced by
inoculating grey
iron
White iron:
cementite plates
embedded in pearlite
matrix, renders the
metal high hardness
and brittleness.
Fast cooling
Malleable iron:
graphite clusters
obtained from
decomposing
cementite in white
iron by annealing,
significantly
improving toughness
and ductility of the
metal
Grey Irons
SAE UNS Tensile Strength
G1800 F10004 125 MPa
G2500 F10005
G3000 F10006

G6000 F10012 400 MPa

Cheap to produce, excellent castability, high damping capacity, good
metal-metal wear resistance when lubricated, strength much higher in
compression than in tension, brittle in tension.
Grey Irons - Application
Grey irons are by far the most
produced among all cast irons. They
have sufficient C and Si, so
graphite is formed. Grey irons are
used primarily for their low cost and
excellent castability.
Uses: engine cylinders, pistons, gear

box casing, transmission casing,

machine tool bases, balance weight

of large cranes, large diameter

underground pipework.
They are used always under
compressive loading conditions. They
are unsuitable for taking tensile loads
or bending loads.
Grey iron
Mild steel
S
t
r
e
s
s
Strain
Tensile stress-strain
behaviour of grey cast iron
Typical grey iron components
Nodular Irons (Ductile irons)
ASTM UNS Tensile Yield Ductility
60-40-18 F32800 18 400 MPa 275

120-90-02 F36200 2 825 625

Produced by inoculating (addition of RE or Mg to molten metal just
before casting) grey iron. This treatment converts graphite
flakes into granules. Also known as Spheroidal-Graphite (SG) iron.
These irons are much ductile and tougher than grey irons.
They are produced and used for high specification
applications. They are more expensive than grey irons. Typical
applications include:
gears, crankshafts, pump bodies, pressure valves, rollers.
Typical nodular iron components
Malleable Irons
ASTM UNS Yield strength Ductility
32510 F32510 10

35018 F36200 18
Produced by heat treating white iron at elevated temperatures for
long times (2-5 days). Such treatment decomposes cementite
into ferrite and graphite. Consequently, these cast irons are
stronger, tougher and much more ductile than grey irons, compatible
to nodular irons. They have certain capacity to take shock loading,
bending and tension. They are suitable for castings of thin
thickness. They are expensive to produce, largely due to the heat
treatment. Typical applications include gear box casing, transmission
casing, differential casing.
225 MPa
240
White Irons
White irons contain relatively less C and Si. As a result cementite
(Fe
3
C) is formed instead of graphite. This makes the alloy very hard
and brittle, practically useless as structural materials. The high
hardness, however, renders them high resistance to abrasive wear.
White irons are produced mainly for two purposes:
Intermediate product for producing malleable irons
As abrasive wear resistant components, such as
ball mill lining tiles, slurry pipe elbows,
slurry pump bodies