FERROUS ALLOYS

Group 5
Session Objectives

 Classification of material
 Ferrous alloys and its classification
 Cast iron and types
Classification of Engineering Materials
Metallics

Polymerics Ceramics
Alloy
Alloy = When 2 or more metals are dissolved
together in a solid solution
 Steel = alloy of Fe & C
 Bronze = alloy of Cu & Sn
 Brass = alloy of Cu & Zn
Metal Alloys

Most engineering metallic materials are alloys. Metals are

alloyed to enhance their properties, such as strength, hardness
or corrosion resistance, and to create new properties, such as
superconductivity and shape memory effect.
Engineering metal alloys can be broadly
divided into :-

• Ferrous Alloys
and
 • Non-ferrous Alloys
Ferrous Alloys:

 What is a ‘ferrous metal’ or ‘ferrous alloy’?

It is simply a metal or alloy that contains Iron

(the element ferrous) as the base (starting) metal.
Some definitions:

• Ferrous alloys: iron is the prime constituent

• Ferrous alloys are relatively inexpensive and extremely versatile
• Thus these alloys are wide spread engineering materials
• Alloys that are so brittle that forming by deformation is not possible
ordinary are cast
• Alloys that are amenable to mechanical deformation are termed
wrought
• Heat-treatable - are alloys whose mechanical strength can be
improved by heat-treatment (e.g. precipitation hardening or
martensitic transformations).
Types of metal alloys
Steels: Iron-carbon alloys that may contain
appreciable concentrations of other alloying
elements. Carbon content is normally less
than 1.0 wt%.
Cast irons: Ferrous alloys with carbon
contents above 2.14 wt% (usually 3.0-4.5 wt%
C).
 STEELS
 Steel is an alloy or solid solution, dictator = Iron, dissolved
mater. = C

 Most widely used materials in the world

 High strength, machined & formed easily

 Steel are iron-carbon alloys that may contain appreciable

concentrations of other alloying elements

 Mechanical sensitive to the content of C < 1.0 wt.%

 Thousands of alloys that have different compositions and/ or

heat treatments.
 STEELS

Low High
alloy alloy

Less expensive More expensive

Less alloy content More alloy content
Few special Special properties
properties
 Low alloy steel

Low carbon Medium carbon High carbon

steel steel steel
 Low Carbon Steel
Also known as mild steel
Contain 0.05% -0.32% carbon

Tough, ductile and malleable

Easily joined and welded
Poor resistance to corrosion
Often used a general purpose material

Nails, screws, car bodies,

Structural Steel used in the construction industry

•Comparatively less strength

•Comparatively less Hardness
•Easy Machining & Forming
•Least Expensive
•Largest quantity Produced
Typical applications: Fence wire, Auto bodies,Galvanized
sheets,Storage tanks,Large pipe,Various parts in building, bridges &
ships
Medium Carbon Steel

Contains 0.35% - 0.5% of carbon

Offer more strength and hardness BUT

less ductile and malleable

•Hard & strong after heat treating

•More expensive than Low CS
Typical applications: Wheels, Axles ,Crankshafts ,Gear
 High Carbon Steel
Also known as ‘tool steel’
Contain 0.55%-1.5% carbon

Very hard but offers Higher

Strength Less ductile
and less malleable

•High strength & hardness

•Typical applications: Hard & strong after heat treating
•More expensive than Low & medium CS

chisels, hammers, knives, saw blades, drills, dies,

machine tool cutters, punches, cutlery, springs (0.6~0.8%C) and high strength wire
 High alloy steel

Tool steel Stainless steel

Widely used
Used as cutting tools,
Ferritic Martensitic Austenitic Precipitation
mould & dies
hardening
Machine parts
Stainless Steels

 Stainless Steels:
Addition of Cr and Nickel to Fe-C will significantly increase corrosion resistance
Corrosion resistance enhanced by Ni & Mo
Cr forms a surface oxide that protects the underlying Fe-Cr alloy from corroding. To
produce the protective oxide, the SS must be exposed to oxidizing agents
 Three basic classes, specified by microstructure:
Ferritic: Fe-Cr alloys (12~25%Cr), can be cheap
Martensitic: Fe-Cr alloys, low Cr, hard, cutting tools
Austenitic: Fe-Cr-Ni alloys (18Cr-8Ni), corrosion resistance
 Ultra high strength stainless steel (17-7PH): Precipitation hardened, high strength and
hardness
 Ferritic Stainless Steel
 FSS are essentially Fe-Cr binary alloy containing about 12 ~ 30% Cr

 Called ferritic bcause their structure remains mostly ferritic (BCC, α iron type) at normal
heat treatment conditions.

 Relatively low cost

 Mainly used as general construction materials

 The present of the carbides in this steel reduces its corrosion resistance to some extent

 Considered non-heat-treatable because they are all single phase, α iron type alloys whose
crystal structure does not change under normal heat-treatment conditions.

 Eg;
 430 SS (general-purpose, non-hardenable uses, range hood, restaurant equipment)
 446 SS (High-temp. application, heater, combustion chambers)
 Type 430 (ferritic) SS strip annealed at 788oC.
The structure consists of a ferrite matrix equiaxed grain & dispersed carbide
particles.
Martensitic Stainless Steel
 MSS are essentially Fe-Cr alloys containing 12 ~ 17 % Cr with sufficient C (0.15 ~ 1.0 %).

 Produced from quenching from the austenitic phase region

 Called martensitic because they are capable of developing a martensitic structure from austenitic
condition by quenching heat treatment.

 Can be adjusted to optimize strength & hardness but corrosion resistance is relatively poor compared
to the ferritic & austenitic steel

 High hardness due to hard martensitic matrix & the presence of a large concentration of primary
carbides.

 Considered as heat-treatable because the carbon content is sufficient for the formation of a
martensitic structure by austenitizing and quenching processes.

 E.g.;
 410 SS ( General purpose, heat-treatable machine parts, pump shafts, valves)
 440A SS (Cultery, bearing, surgical tools)
 440C SS (Balls bearing, valve parts)
Type 440 (martensitic) SS hardened by autenitizing at 1010oC &
air cooled. Structure consists of primary carbides in martensite
matrix.
Austenitic Stainless Steel
 Austenitic steel are essentially Fe-Cr-Ni ternary alloys containing about 16~25% Cr
& 7~20% Ni.

 Called austenitic since their structure remains austenitic (FCC, γ iron type) at all
normal heat-treating temperatures.

 Better corrosion resistance than ferritic & martensitic SS because the carbides can
be retained in solid solution by rapid cooling.

 E.g.;
 301 SS (High work hardening rate alloy, structural applications)
 304 SS (Chemical & food processing equipment)
 304L SS (Low carbon for welding, chemical tank)
 321 SS (Stabilized for welding, process equipment, pressure vessels)
 347 SS (Stabilized for welding, tank cars for chemicals)
Type 340 (austenitic) SS hardened strip annealed 5 min at 1065oC
and air cooled. Structure consists of equiaxed austenite grains.
 CAST IRON
 Iron-Carbon alloys of 2.0 ~ 6.0%C
 Typical composition: 2.0-4.0%C,0.5-3.0% Si, less than
1.0% Mn and less than 0.2% S.
 Very hard and brittle
 Strong under compression
 Suitable for casting [can be pour at a relatively low
temperature]
 Si-substitutes partially for C and promotes formation of
graphite as the carbon rich component instead Fe3C.
Engine block, engineer vices, machine parts
Gray Cast Iron
 Fe-C-Si alloys

 Composes of: 2.5-4.0%C, 1.0-

3.0%Si and 0.4-1.0% Mn.

 Gray cast iron contain large

amount of C in the form of
graphite flakes.

 Microstructure: 3-D graphite

flakes formed during eutectic
reaction. They have pointed
edges to act as voids and crack
initiation sites.
 Properties:
 Hard & brittle
 Relatively poor TS because graphite flakes in the structure
 excellent compressive strength,
 excellent machinability,
 good resistance to adhesive wear (self lubrication due to graphite flakes),
 outstanding damping capacity ( graphite flakes absorb transmitted energy),
 good corrosion resistance and it has good fluidity needed for casting
operations.
 Easy to cast

 It is widely used, especially for large equipment parts subjected to compressive

loads and vibrations.
 Eg; brake disc, cylinder blocks, cylinder heads, clutch plates, heavy gear
boxes and diesel engine castings
White Cast Iron
 Fe-C-Si alloys

 Composes of: 1.8-3.6%C, 0.5-1.9%Si and 0.25-

0.8%Mn.

 White cast iron contain large amount of iron

carbide that make them hard & brittle

 All of its C is in the form of iron-carbide

(Fe3C). It is called white because of distinctive
white fracture surface.

 It is very hard and brittle (a lot of Fe3C). More

brittle difficult to machine

 It is used where a high wear resistance is

dominant requirement (coupled hard
martensite matrix and iron-carbide).
 Eg; iron mills, stone breaker
 Malleable Cast Iron
 Fe-C-Si alloys

 2.0 ~ 2.6% C, 1.1 ~ 1.6% Si

 Malleable cast irons are 1st cast as white cast iron & then are heat-
treated at about 940 C & held about 3~20 hrs.
o

 The iron carbide in the white iron is decomposed into irregularly

shaped nodules or graphite.

 Less voids and notches.

 Ferritic MCI:
 Ductile, 10% EL,
 High TS, 35 ksi yield strength,
 50 ksi tensile strength.
 Excellent impact strength,
 good corrosion resistance
 good machinability.
 Ductile iron with ferrite matrix
(top) and pearlite matrix (bottom)
at 500X.

 Spheroidal shape of the graphite

nodule is achieved in each case.

 Advantageous properties of
malleable cast irons are toughness,
moderate strength, uniformity of
structure and ease of machining
and casting.
Ductile Cast Iron
 Fe-C-Si alloy
 3.0 ~ 4.0% C, 1.8 ~ 2.8% Si.
 Ductile cast iron contain large amount of
C in the form of graphite nodules
(spheres).
 Without a heat treatment by addition of
ferrosilicon (MgFeSi) formation of
smooth spheres (nodules) of graphite is
promoted.
 Properties: 2-18% EL, 40-90 ksi yield
strength, 60-120 ksi tensile strength.
 Attractive engineering material due to: good ductility, high
strength, toughness, wear resistance, machinability and low
melting point castability.

 Applications for ductile cast irons include valve and pump

casings, crankshafts, gears, rollers, pinions and slides.
Compacted graphite iron

 Compacted graphite iron has characteristics midway between ductile and gray iron and combines many of
the properties of both. Compacted graphite iron is challenging to make with uniformity, Waupaca
Foundry closely monitors the production process. This type of iron provides many advantages :

 The internal porosity solidifies in a manner similar to gray iron with the strength of ductile iron and allows
complicated castings.
 It has the ability to dissipate heat
 Increased dampening properties
 The first commercial application for compacted graphite iron was for the brake discs for high-speed rail
trains
 More recently compacted graphite iron has been used for diesel engine blocks. It has proven to be useful in
the manufacture of V topology diesel engines where the loading on the block is very high between the
cylinder banks, and for heavy goods vehicles which use diesel engines with high combustion pressures.
 It is also used for turbo housings and exhaust manifolds, in the latter case to reduce corrosion.
Why Ferrous Alloys are important as
engineering construction materials?
 Iron-containing compounds exist in abundant quantities within the earths
crust
 Metallic iron and steel alloys may be produced using relatively economical
manufacturing techniques
 Extremely versatile
Thank you…