Structural and Phase Transformations in Iron-Based Alloy Obtained in Conditions of High Cooling Rate Crystallization

The production of parts by selective electron beam melting (SEBM) is accompanied by the formation of nonequilibrium structures. This is caused by the crystallization of alloys with high cooling rates. To evaluate the influence of cooling rate on the process of structural and phase transformations in the Fe-8Si-5Al-2C alloy, the electron beam melting of plasma coating was carried out. The dendritic structure was formed in the molten pool. The distance between dendritic branches of the second order was 2-5 mu m. This corresponds to the cooling rate of about 10(3) K/s. The electron microscopy has shown that dendrites were formed by alpha-phase, while gamma-phase was localized between alpha-phase crystals in form of intercalations. The secondary phases (intermetallic, aluminum and iron carbosilicides, aluminates and iron carboaluminates) are of sub-micron size and located in the alpha- and gamma-phase boundary intersections or within the grains of the main phase. The microhardness of the alloy increases twofold. This suggests that complex hardening by solid-solution and dispersed hardening by the secondary phase particles occurs during crystallization with the above-mentioned cooling rate.