What is the crystal structure of cast iron?

Ferrite, also known as α-ferrite (α-Fe) or alpha iron, is a materials science term for pure iron, with a body-centered cubic B.C.C crystal structure. It is this crystalline structure which gives steel and cast iron their magnetic properties, and is the classic example of a ferromagnetic material.

What type of material is cast iron?

cast iron, an alloy of iron that contains 2 to 4 percent carbon, along with varying amounts of silicon and manganese and traces of impurities such as sulfur and phosphorus. It is made by reducing iron ore in a blast furnace.

How is cast iron classified?

Cast iron can be classified into grey cast iron, white cast iron, malleable cast iron and ductile cast iron, depending on its composition.

What is characteristics of cast iron?

A few common mechanical properties for cast iron include: Hardness – material’s resistance to abrasion and indentation. Toughness – material’s ability to absorb energy. Ductility – material’s ability to deform without fracture.

Is steel a crystalline structure?

Crystalline Structure of Stainless Steels By definition, all steels, including stainless steels, are primarily made up of crystallised iron atoms with the addition of carbon. The iron in steel can exist in several different crystalline structures, dependent on the conditions of its creation.

What is ferrite microstructure?

Ferrite is a microstructural phase that is soft, ductile, and similar to pure iron. There is a limit on how much carbon can fit in the gaps in the ferrite structure: 0.02 percent carbon at 1,340 degrees F (725 degrees C), but dropping to 0.006 percent (60 PPM) carbon at room temperature.

How does cast iron differ from steel?

Cast iron is actually an alloy of iron and carbon, just like steel, with the main difference being that cast iron has more carbon in it. Whereas steel requires a carbon content of no more than 2 percent, cast iron usually contains 2 to 3.5 percent carbon.

What category is iron and cast iron?

Like gray cast iron, white cast iron features many small fractures. The difference is that white cast iron features cementite below its surface, whereas gray cast iron features graphite below its surface. The graphite creates the appearance of a gray color, while the cementite creates the appearance of a white color.

What is cast iron microstructure?

Cast irons are a class of ferrous alloys with a carbon content of between 2.0 – 4.5\%; they contain sufficient carbon so that the eutectic reaction occurs during solidification. Cast iron contain contrasting amount of manganese, sulphur and phosphorus. …

How is cast iron used in engineering?

With its relatively low melting point, good fluidity, castability, excellent machinability, resistance to deformation and wear resistance, cast irons have become an engineering material with a wide range of applications and are used in pipes, machines and automotive industry parts, such as cylinder heads, cylinder …

Why cast iron has limited engineering application?

Applications are limited, however, to relatively thin-sectioned castings because of the high shrinkage rate and the need for rapid cooling to produce white iron.

What is the chemical composition of cast iron?

It is the most commonly used cast iron and the most widely used cast material based on weight. Most cast irons have a chemical composition of 2.5–4.0\% carbon, 1–3\% silicon, and the remainder iron. Grey cast iron has less tensile strength and shock resistance than steel, but its compressive strength is comparable to low- and medium-carbon steel.

What is the difference between cast iron and steel?

Iron alloys with lower carbon content (~0.8\%) are known as steel. While this technically makes the Fe–C–Si system ternary, the principle of cast iron solidification can be understood from the simpler binary iron–carbon phase diagram.

What is the carbon equivalent(CE) of a cast iron?

The carbon equivalent(CE) of a cast iron helps to distinguish the grey irons which cool into a microstructure containing graphite and and the white irons where the carbon is present mainly as cementite. The carbon equivalent is defined as:

Is cast iron high in carbon and silicon?

In addition to carbon, cast iron must also contain appreciable silicon, usually from one to three percent, and thus they are actually iron- carbon-silicon alloys. The high carbon content and the silicon in cast irons IA-1