Abstract
Unidirectional solidification experiments of hypoeutectic, eutectic and hypereutectic high chromium white cast irons were conducted to clarify their deformation behavior at elevated temperatures. The relation between the microstructure and the high temperature strength was studied at temperatures reaching up to 1073K. The volume fraction of the precipitated carbide in theiron strongly depends on its chemical composition. The eutectic iron shows the highest strength within the whole temperature range. The eutectic iron shows approximately the same hardness and higher compressive strength compared with the hypereutectic iron in spite of a much a smaller carbide volume fraction than that of hypereutectic iron. The hypoeutectic iron shows a large amount of plastic deformation, while the eutectic and hypereutectic irons show very little plastic strain during deformation due to the presence of more brit tle carbides. The rule of mixtures holds for the hypoeutectic and eutectic irons but does not hold for the hypereutectic iron.
