Investigation on Microstructure, Interface Region, and Tensile Properties of AISI 1045 Continuous Steel Chip Reinforced Ductile Iron Composites

Ductile irons are a type of engineering materials that used in many industrial applications, extensively. Thus, improvement of mechanical properties of ductile irons is very important. In this study, AISI 1045 continuous steel chips applied into the ductile iron matrix as reinforcement and ductile iron composites were manufactured through sand mold casting process. Therefore, the casting ductile iron included 0, 5, and 10 volume fraction of steel chips. Light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) used to investigation of the microstructure and interface region. In addition, the mechanical properties of the ductile iron composites were studied by tensile and hardness tests. As a result, graphite morphology and microstructure of ductile iron matrix affected on the reinforcement fraction. In addition, a compatible interface was observed between the reinforcement and ductile iron matrix. Formation of this interface can be probably related on the melting the chips surfaces and solidification of this region. Thus, improvement of the tensile properties by increasing the reinforcement fraction can be related on the formation of the compatible interface between the matrix and reinforcement.