ABSTRACT The response of inoculated low carbon equivalent iron to austempering heat treatment has remained as an unchartered area of investigation. The carbon equivalent of inoculated low carbon equivalent iron is much lesser than that of... more
ABSTRACT The response of inoculated low carbon equivalent iron to austempering heat treatment has remained as an unchartered area of investigation. The carbon equivalent of inoculated low carbon equivalent iron is much lesser than that of ductile iron, while modulus of elasticity is higher than it. This paper examines and compares the austempering transformations and microstructural changes during austempering of ductile iron and inoculated low carbon equivalent iron with respect to austempering parameters. The optical metallography and X-ray diffraction techniques are used to study the changes in the austempered structure. The alterations in austempered microstructure and structural parameters like, austenite volume fraction (X) and its carbon content (C) at an austempering temperature of 250 °C are studied in the present investigation. It is observed that, austempering heat treatment produces fine ausferritic microstructure, similar to that present in austempered ductile iron at this temperature. However, some significant differences between the austempered microstructure of two alloys are noted.
