The Influence of Aluminium on the Spheroidization of Cast Iron Assessed on the Basis of Wedge Test

The paper discusses the influence of aluminium in quantities from about 1.9% to about 4.7% on both the alloy matrix and the shape of graphite precipitates in cast iron spheroidized with cerium mixture (added in the quantity of 0.11%) and inoculated with ferrosilicon (1.29%). The metallographic examinations were carried out for specimens cut out of the wedge test castings (22 mm base width, 120 mm height, 180 mm length) halfway along their length. It was found that the highest susceptibility to graphitization exhibits the cast iron containing about 2.8% Al. The alloy matrices were classified and the degrees of graphite spheroidization were determined. Microscopic observations were carried out along the wedge test casting height at several places, the first distant by 20 mm from the specimen apex, the next ones every 20 mm farther. Precipitates of nodular and vermicular graphite were found in the cast iron structure. The results of examination allow to state that cast iron spheroidized in the way described here is characterised by the degree of spheroidization which increase with an increase in aluminium content within the examined range.