In Situ Study of the Influence of Nickel on the Phase Transformation Kinetics in Austempered Ductile Iron

Phase fractions and austenite carbon contents in austempered ductile iron samples with three different nickel contents were determined by in situ neutron diffraction. The samples were austenitized at 1178 K (905 °C) for 30 minutes and austempered for 3.5 hours at temperatures between 523 K and 723 K (250 °C and 450 °C) using a mirror furnace. Based on the in situ neutron diffraction studies, plateau times were derived, which determine the end of stage I reaction. The austenite contents increase for higher austempering temperatures when the austempering times are selected properly, considering the accelerated phase transformation at higher temperature. Appropriate austempering times were derived for austempering temperatures between 523 K and 723 K (250 °C and 450 °C). Increased nickel contents lead to higher austenite phase fractions. Moreover the retarding effect of nickel on the phase transformation was quantified. The plateau values of phase fraction and the according austempering times were converted to TTT diagrams. The evolution of the austenite carbon content shows a maximum at 623 K (350 °C) austempering temperature. This can be explained by temperature-dependent carbide precipitation and carbon diffusion into lattice defects. Fine carbides within the ferrite could be found by preliminary APT analysis.