Influence of casting size and graphite nodule refinement on fracture toughness of austempered ductile iron

Casting size affects the solidification cooling rate and microstructure of casting materials. Graphite nodules existing in the structure of ductile iron are an inherent and inert second phase that cannot be modified in subsequent heat-treatment processing. The matrix and the fineness of the second phase undoubtedly have some impact on the fracture toughness of the as-cast material, as does the subsequent heat treatment, as it alters the microstructure. This research applied austempering heat treatment to ductile iron of different section sizes and graphite nodule finenesses. The influence of these variables on the plane strain fracture toughness (K-IC) of the castings so treated was compared to that of the as-cast state. Metallography, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction analysis were performed to correlate the properties attained to the microstructural observation.