Astm 536 - Arul
Astm 536 - Arul
Astm 536 - Arul
ISSUE 2
of Achievements in Materials June
and Manufacturing Engineering 2008
Abstract
Purpose: Thixoability of the ASTM A536 nodular cast iron is analyzed, it meaning its ability to hold a thixotropic
semi-solid state and to be formed as such. Thixoability can be characterized by the solidification range, fraction
of primary phase and sensitiveness of liquid fraction with temperature (dfl/dT) within the solidification range. It
is also investigated the effect of thixocasting in the microstructure of the considered alloy.
Design/methodology/approach: Differential thermal analysis, differential scanning calorimetry and
thermodynamic calculation package THERMOCALC were used to predict transformations temperatures
involving liquid formation and dfl/dT within the solidification range. Microstructures of thixotropic slurries
produced by partial melting were observed.
Findings: Thixoforming of ASTM A536 nodular iron can be considered in a narrow window of about 28°C,
were some dissolution of graphite nodules can still be afforded; this window meaning the range of temperatures
of co-existence of austenite + graphite + liquid were the eutectic transformation is taking place. At higher
temperatures the dissolution of graphite nodules in liquid can be significant.
Research limitations/implications: Thixoability prediction models rely on sensitive experiments as
thermoanalysis, with results strongly dependent on experimental conditions; and on thermodynamic data,
sometimes not available or reliable for a specific alloy composition.
Practical implications: The prediction of the thixoability of a certain alloy can make it more effective its
thixoprocessing, allows better control of processing parameters and quality of final product; can also subsidize
modifications in the alloy to make it more suitable to semi-solid processing.
Originality/value: The study of the thixoability of a nodular hypereutectic cast iron is an original subject, not
available in the specialized literature, however absolutely necessary if thixoprocessing of this family of alloys
is to be considered.
Keywords: Casting; Thixoability; Thixoforming; Semi-solid alloys
1. Introduction
1. Introduction thixoability, which must gather some criteria such as the
solidification range of the alloy, the liquid fraction at eutectic
temperature, and the sensitivity of liquid fraction with tempera-
With the progress of the semi-solid technology development ture [1, 2]. The first criteria can be limited by the susceptibility of
along the years and the consequent familiarization with the the alloy to hot cracking during cooling if the solidification range
control parameters of the thixotropic slurries fabrication and is too wide; concerning the second criteria, it has been observed
forming processes, researchers and costumers in the field have that more controllable is the processing if eutectic reaction occurs
been finding consensus on some basic requirements for a specific at 30 to 50% liquid and third criteria states that dfl/dT can not be
alloy to be candidate to thixoforming processing. The potential too abrupt, otherwise little changes in temperature lead to big
ability of a certain alloy for thixoforming is characterized by its variation in the liquid fraction and make it difficult to control the
© Copyright by International OCSCO World Press. All rights reserved. 2008 Research paper 115
Journal of Achievements in Materials and Manufacturing Engineering Volume 28 Issue 2 June 2008
Table 1.
Chemical composition (wt%) of the ASTM536 cast iron used in the experiments
C Si Mg Mn P S Fe
3.74 2.98 0.05 0.19 0.006 0.01 balance
eutectic reaction or temperature at which no liquid remains, it transformation, or within the T3-T4 interval. In equilibrium
meaning T-solidus. The total solidification range must be conditions it means that 99.7% of liquid is formed by melting of
considered, therefore, the whole interval from fliq = 100% to the eutectic phase. Therefore, as far as thixoforming is concerned,
fliq = 0% or from T5 to T3. the thixoability of the alloy is mostly defined by the sensitiveness
A typical result of thermal analysis of the ASTM A536 of liquid fraction with temperature within this specific range (T3
nodular iron studied is presented in Figure 2. to T4 indicated in the general diagram of Figure 1). At
At low temperatures, it can be observed an inflexion at around temperatures higher than T4, solid fraction is small (light weight
450qC (indicated as A), probably due to stress relief during graphite nodules in dissolution) and it would be difficult to
heating. A more defined peak (B) can be observed around 820qC, control the thixoforming processes. Furthermore, at those high
which can be related to eutectoid transformation (austenite o temperatures the dissolution of graphite can be quick, what must
ferrite + graphite). At higher temperatures, a transformation with be minimized to avoid deterioration of the characteristics of the
significant variation of energy initiates at 1157qC (peak C), nodular iron considered.
followed by small successive peaks until ~1358qC. Repeated tests Therefore, the determination of the eutectic transformation
show similar behavior: a well defined peak starting around 1145- range is fundamental to analyze the thixoability of the considered
1155qC followed by one or two not clearly defined and cast iron. DSC experiments were performed to pursuit this
comparatively lower energy peaks at higher temperatures. objective, as this sort of thermal analysis can be more sensitive to
Data from literature [9] for Fe-C-Si systems indicates T-liquidus energy variations than ATD. Tests were carried out in different
conditions of heating and cooling; several experiments were
higher than 1300qC for alloys with C and Si contents as the ASTM 536.
performed in the same test conditions to make the results more
Therefore, it can be supposed that the initial, high energy
reliable, as DSC is very sensitive to experimental conditions such
inflexion is associated to the eutectic transformation and the
as sample mass, heating/cooling rate, oxidization of the sample,
following small peaks to dissolution of graphite globules and
contact of the material with crucible and so on.
eventual intermetallic phases in the liquid (regardless of their
Typical DSC results are shown in Figure 3, for tests at two
improbable presence for the considered composition).
different heating conditions.
As the composition of the considered iron is close to eutectic,
Fist of all, it can be observed the coincidence of the obtained
during heating most of the liquid is formed in the eutectic
curves, assuring the results reliability. It can be observed the two
main inflexions related to eutectoid (peak B) and eutectic (peak C)
transformations. Table 2 shows transformations temperatures given
by the tangent method applied to the inflexion attributed to eutectic
transformation detected in all curves produced – values presented
correspond to the average for 2 distinct tests in the same condition.
Results obtained in different conditions are quite similar apart
of the influence of cycle type: significant differences were
observed between cooling and heating cycles; this is usually
attributed to different conditions of contact between sample and
crucible walls, either the sample is in solid or liquid state. The
influence of heat transfer on transformations temperatures is less
significant; however the intensity of energy variation in a specific
transformation is higher in tests at the higher rate employed, due
to more difficulty on heat transfer in this condition.
As thixoforming implies in heating of the material from solid
to semi-solid state, it is reasonable to consider results obtained
from heating experiments performed at 10qC/min, a condition less
far from practical. Therefore, eutectic transformation can be
assumed as taking place between 1140 and 1168qC, it meaning a
Fig. 2. DTA signal x T for ASTM A536 nodular iron. Heating narrow window of about maximum 28 degrees for semi-solid
rate: 10qC/min processing, what can make difficult the process control.
Table 2.
Transformations temperatures of ASTM A536 nodular iron, according to DSC analysis, for eutectic range
Cycle type
Temperature Heating Cooling
5qC/min 10qC/min 5qC/min 10qC/min
3.2. Phase
3.2. diagram
Phase simulated
diagram by thermodyna-
simulated by
mic calculations
thermodynamic calculations (a)
3.3. Thixoability
3.3. of ASTM
Thixoability 536 536
of ASTM Fig. 6. Fraction of eutectic phase transformed in liquid x T on
heating of ASTM A536 nodular iron. Suggested thixoforming
Taking in account that on heating ASTM A536 cast iron, most windows (A2 for thixocasting; A1 for thixoforging)
of the liquid is formed within the eutectic transformation interval, it
was determined the variation of liquid fraction x T of the alloy by
calculating the relative areas under the transformation peaks related
to the eutectic transformation obtained in the DSC experiments.
Therefore, it is assumed that the error induced by considering fl =1
at the end of the eutectic transformation (at T4), and not at the actual
T-liquidus (T5 as indicated in Fig. 1), is negligible.
For each specific temperature within the beginning and the
finishing of the transformation, it was calculated the relative area
given by:
It can be observed that dfl/dT is not linear, being higher at their dimension, as thixocast temperature increases. Maximum
intermediate temperatures between beginning and finishing of the reductions around 20% and 40% in number and dimension of
transformation. General results in the presented curve show that in globules, respectively, are observed when heating at the
the whole spectrum of values of temperatures or liquid fractions, maximum thixocast temperature.
dfl/dT varies from around 0.01 to 0.057C-1. In the specific range Taking in account the large holding time of the experiments
suggested for thixoforming two points where picked to exemplify (30 min), the dissolution of the graphite, although an effect to be
the sensitivity of liquid fraction with temperature: points A and B carefully monitored during thixocasting of nodular iron, shall not
in the curve indicate the values for typical thixoforming constitute a limitation for semi-solid processing of such alloys.
temperatures: dfl / dT = 0.044C-1 and 0.056C-1 for fl = 0.25 (at Faster heating and shorter holding time at high temperatures can
1150ºC) and fl = 0.45 (at 1154ºC), respectively. These values avoid excessive graphite dissolution with consequent de-
indicate the need of a close control of thixoforming temperature to characterization of the material properties.
insure the viability of the process.
Studies on Al-Si, Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys, considered as
presenting good thixoformability, dfl/dT ranges from as low as
0.007C-1 [3, 11] as mentioned previously. As far as ferrous alloys
are concerned, some literature information reveals values from
0.0097 to 0.02 for Cr-Mn alloy steels [12].
Therefore, thixoforming of ASTM A536 must be looked with
care; however, taking in account the tight control of temperature
on re-heating of billets for thixoforming already achievable using
commercial softwares for induction heating, processing the
studied cast iron in the semi-solid state, although requiring
attention, can be considered.
3.4. Thixocast
3.4. Thixocast microstructures
microstructuresproduced by
partial melting
produced by partial melting
4. Conclusions
4. Conclusions
References
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