Erosive wear characteristics of spheroidal carbides cast iron

In the present investigation, the authors reported erosive wear property of spheroidal carbides cast irons (SCI). SCI was obtained at the temperature of 1700–1800 °C by adding about 10% vanadium to crystallize vanadium spheroidal carbides in the structure. Erosive wear tests were performed on high manganese cast iron with spheroidal carbides (SCI–VMn), high V–Cr–Ni cast iron with spheroidal carbides (SCI–VCrNi) and white cast iron (WCI) by using a shot-blasting machine. Erosion damage was evaluated by the removed material volume at impact angle range from 10° to 90°. The surface metal flow in vertical section was also observed. Surface morphology of each material was characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effect of impact angle, and differences in wear features of specimens were discussed as mechanism of erosive wear. Experiment showed that the erosion rate for SCI is about 1/4 to 1/5 of that for WCI. The hardness of test surface of SCI–VMn increased from the initial 504 to 804 HV after 3600 s of blasting. It showed that austenite in the surface structure has been transformed to martensite, which hardened the surface and lowered the erosion rate. Similarly, work-hardening effect also occurred on SCI–VCrNi to make its surface hardness increased to 478 HV. It was shown that SCI series have excellent erosive wear resistance and they are expected to find wide application as wear-resistant materials.