Effect of matrix structure on ultrasonic attenuation of ductile cast iron

The ultrasonic attenuation of ductile cast irons with different matrices was investigated by means of ultrasonic echo waves. In the ductile cast irons with ferritic and pearlitic matrix structures, both of the ultrasonic attenuation increased with frequency. For similar frequencies, the ultrasonic attenuation of the pearlitic matrix was larger than that of the ferritic matrix. Based on the theory of ultrasonic attenuation in the solid, the mechanisms of ultrasonic attenuation in the ductile cast irons with different matrices were analyzed. It indicated that in the ductile cast irons with transformation of matrix from the ferrite to the pearlite, the mechanism of ultrasonic attenuation varied in the range of present frequencies. In the ferritic matrix, the total ultrasonic attenuation was mainly attributed to the scattering loss which included the stochastic scattering and the Rayleigh scattering. On the contrary, the absorption loss predominated in the total ultrasonic attenuation of the ductile cast iron with pearlitic matrix.