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A Study of Oxygen Activities Before the Start of Solidification of Cast Irons

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Abstract

The focus of this work was to study dissolved oxygen content and oxygen activities in different cast irons. Plant trials were performed on three occasions for lamellar, compacted and nodular iron melts. The results show that at temperatures close to the liquidus temperature the oxygen activities ranged from 0.03 to 0.1 ppm for lamellar graphite iron (LGI), around 0.02 ppm for compacted graphite iron and 0.001 ppm for spheroidal graphite iron. In addition, it was found that as oxygen activities increase with time after an Mg treatment, the ability to form compacted graphite or nodular graphite in Mg-treated iron melts was lowered. Also, oxygen activity differences up to 0.07 ppm were found for different hypoeutectic iron compositions for LGI at the liquidus temperature. Overall, the observed differences in the dissolved oxygen levels are believed to influence how graphite particles are incorporated into the austenite matrix and how the graphite morphology will be in the cast product.

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Acknowledgments

The present work was performed within the frame of IEC/CIC, which is collaboration between Jönköping University, Swerea Swecast, and Swedish foundries. Special thanks are expressed to SKF Mekan AB and Volvo Powertrain AB which hosted the experiments. Furthermore, thanks to Camelia Bondesson and Vasilios Fourlakidis for their assistance during the experimental procedure as well as to Thomas Helander at Sandvik Materials Technology for the calculation of the liquidus temperatures.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sandvik SRP AB, Svedala, Sweden

    Johan Ekengård

  2. Department of Materials and Manufacturing – Foundry Technology, School of Engineering, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden

    Attila Diószegi

  3. Division of Applied Process Metallurgy, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

    Pär G. Jönsson

Authors
  1. Johan Ekengård
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  2. Attila Diószegi
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  3. Pär G. Jönsson
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Correspondence to Johan Ekengård.

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Ekengård, J., Diószegi, A. & Jönsson, P.G. A Study of Oxygen Activities Before the Start of Solidification of Cast Irons. Inter Metalcast 10, 500–515 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40962-016-0067-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40962-016-0067-x

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