Interface Structure and Elements Diffusion of As-Cast and Annealed Ductile Iron/Stainless Steel Bimetal Castings

Bimetal casting is considered to a promising technique for the production of high performance function materials. Heat treatment process for bimetal castings became an essential tool for improving interface structure and metallurgical diffusion bond. Molten iron alloy with carbon equivalent of 4.40 is poured into sand mold cavities containing solid 304 stainless steel strips insert. Specimens are heated to 720 degrees C in an electrical heating furnace and holded at 720 degrees C for 60min and 180min. For as-cast specimens, a good coherent interface structure of ductile cast iron/304 stainless bimetal with four layers interfacial microstructure are obtained. Low temperature annealing at 720 degrees C has a significat effect on the interface layers structure, where, three layers of interface structure are obtained after 180min annealing time because of the complete dissolving of thin layer of ferrite and multi carbides (Layer 2). Low temperature annealing shows a significant effect on the diffusion of C and otherwise shows slightly effect on the diffusion of Cr and Ni. Plearlite phase of Layer 3 is trsformed to spheroidal shape instead of lamallar shape in as-cast bimetals by low tempeature annealing at 720 degrees C. The percent of the performed spheroidal cementit increases by increasing anneaaling time. Hardness of interface layers is changed by low temperauture annealing due to the significant carbon deffussion.