Electrical resistivity was measured in flake graphite, undercooled graphite, spheroidal graphite and compacted/vermicular graphite cast irons, in order to elucidate the effects of chemical composition, matrix structure and graphite shape on specific resistivity. The results obtained are summarized as follows :
(1) The specific resistivity of flake graphite and spheroidal graphite cast irons increases linearly with the fraction of pearlite in the matrix,. The difference between the specific resistivity of the pearlite and ferrite matrix is about 8 μΩ·cm.
(2) The specific resistivity of flake graphite cast iron of pearlite matrix depends linearly on the sum of carbon and silicon weight percent, and increases with degree of coarsening of the flake graphite.
(3) The specific resistivity of undercooled graphite cast iron is considerably lower than that of flake graphite cast iron at a given sum of carbon and silicon content.
(4) The specific resistivity of spheroidal graphite and compacted/vermicular graphite cast iron increases linearly with silicon content and is independent of the shape factor of graphite in the shape factor range of 0.3 or more. The resistivity of spheroidal graphite cast iron is independent of the graphite nodule number per unit area.