Microstructural study of surface melted and chromium surface alloyed ductile iron

In this study, ductile iron was surface melted and chromium surface alloyed via pre-placing of ferrochromium powder with different thicknesses and subsequently surface melting by tungsten inert gas (TIG) process. Optical and scanning electron microscopy, as well as micro-hardness testing and X-ray diffraction analysis were used for characterization of the treated samples. Surface melting and chromium surface alloying resulted in formation of ledeburitic structure and high chromium white cast iron in the treated layers, respectively. It was also noticed that hardness of the treated layers was considerably higher than that of the base material. Increasing thickness of ferrochromium layer increased the amount of M7C3 carbides and hardness of the alloyed layer.