RESUMO Este estudo avalia o efeito da associação dos tratamentos térmicos de recozimento e desestabilização na precipitação e morfologia de carbonetos secundários e na dureza de uma liga de ferro fundido branco alto cromo (FFBAC) com adição de nióbio. O ferro fundido branco alto cromo é utilizado na fabricação de componentes envolvendo solicitações de desgaste, principalmente nas indústrias mineradoras, em equipamentos como chutes de transporte de minério, devido à sua elevada dureza e alta resistência ao desgaste abrasivo. Os tratamentos térmicos visam melhorar as propriedades mecânicas, por meio da precipitação de carbonetos secundários e da obtenção de matrizes martensíticas. A adição de cromo nos ferros fundidos tem como finalidade formar carbonetos e elevar a dureza da liga. A metodologia utilizada foi a fundição do material com adição de 0,5% de nióbio como elemento de liga e a caracterização metalográfica por meio de microscopias ópticas e eletrônicas, bem como a quantificação de carbonetos e a realização de ensaios de dureza. Foram analisadas amostras desestabilizadas sem e com recozimento prévio e foi verificado que o recozimento favoreceu uma maior precipitação de carbonetos secundários M7C3, possibilitando uma redução no tempo de tratamento térmico de desestabilização e a transformação da matriz austenítica em martensítica durante o resfriamento, promovendo um aumento da dureza.

ABSTRACT This study evaluates the effect of association annealing and destabilizing heat treatments in precipitation and morphology of secondary carbides and hardness in a high-chromium white cast iron alloy with the addition of niobium. White cast iron is used in the manufacture of components involving wear requests, mainly in the mining industries, in equipment such as ore transport chutes, due to its high hardness and high strength to abrasive wear. The heat treatments aim to improve the mechanical properties, through the precipitation of secondary carbides and the obtaining of martensitic matrices. The addition of chromium in cast irons aims to form carbides and increase the hardness of the alloy. The methodology used was the casting of the material with the addition of 0.5% niobium as an alloying element and metallographic characterization by means of optical and electronic microscopy techniques, as well as the quantification of carbides and performance of hardness tests. Destabilized samples were analyzed without and with previous annealing and it was verified that the annealing favored a greater precipitation of secondary carbides M7C3, allowing a reduction in the thermal treatment time of destabilization and the transformation of the austenitic matrix into martensitic during the cooling, promoting an increase in hardness.

Abstract High chromium cast iron (HCCI) with levels around 26% Cr - 2.9% C according to ASTM A 532 IIIA is widely used in systems where high abrasive wear resistance is required. To evaluate the niobium influence, HCCI with 0.5% Nb and 1% Nb additions were melted, besides one without niobium addition of for comparison. For characterization, X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Vickers microhardness tests, Rockwell C hardness, carbide quantifications, quantification of the retained austenite by Mössbauer spectroscopy, and rubber wheel abrasion test according to procedure A of ASTM G-65 were performed. The results indicated a reduction in the average size, average perimeter, and carbides volumetric fraction (CVF) due to the addition of niobium, also changing the microstructure of the HCCI from eutectic to hypoeutectic. In some regions, NbC0.75 carbides formed a coating around M7C3 carbides. The 0.5% Nb alloy showed the best performance in the rubber wheel abrasive wear test, with a 37% average volume loss reduction as compared to the sample without niobium addition with a 130N load and 34% with a 45N load. The 0.5% Nb alloy also had the highest content of retained austenite among the investigated alloys.

Abstract High Chromium Cast Iron (HCCI) is mostly utilised in environments under severe abrasion and corrosion wear conditions, and research on this material with added niobium obtained positive results regarding wear resistance. The casting process has surface finish and dimensional accuracy limitations compared to machining processes. There are too few studies about HCCI machinability and no one about HCCI with niobium additions. HCCI machinability studies may allow new applications for this material when excellent surface finish and high dimensional accuracy are required. This study analyses the influence of 0.5% Nb addition on the microstructure and machinability of a HCCI alloy with 25.6% Cr and 3.2% C. The samples were heat treated and subsequently machined in dry cutting conditions. Annealing was used to facilitate the pre-machining of the samples, which were later quenched and tempered. Microstructure and hardness were analysed at each stage of the heat treatment. The material was machined after tempered using polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (pcBN) tools. The alloys solidified in the hypereutectic condition. The addition of niobium reduced the hardness and carbide volumetric fraction, increased the service life of the cutting tools in all tests, provided better surface finishing and modified the wear mechanisms.

ABSTRACT High chromium cast iron (HCCI) is usually employed in equipment that experience high abrasive wear and therefore requires high resistance. Niobium could be added to these alloys to improve their resistance to wear. This study consisted in addressing the influence of 0.5% and 1.0% of niobium on the microstructure of a 26% Cr and 2.8% C HCCI alloy. Standard samples – without niobium – and samples with 0.5% and 1.0% Nb were melted, cut and then machined into adequate dimensions for tests. Two groups of samples – with and without heat treatment – were analyzed through X-ray Diffraction (XRD), optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Vickers and Rockwell-C hardness. Carbides Volume Fraction (CVF) was quantified in the heat-treated samples. The majority of NbC carbides were observed to be thin and presented a hook shaped morphology. In addition, it was noted a precipitation of Nb-rich layers around the M7C3 carbides, which could act as a higher hardness coating. There was significant reduction in carbide volume fraction, from an initial 33.3% to 28.1% for the 0.5 % Nb alloy, and further reduction to 24.9% for the 1.0% Nb alloy, it was also noted an alteration on the quasi-eutectic microstructure to a hypoeutectic microstructure. The NbC carbides prevented hardness reduction as a result of lowering the CVF in heat-treated alloys; however, the alloys without heat treatment experienced reductions in hardness.