Effect of cerium and thermomechanical processing on microstructure and mechanical properties of Fe–10.5Al–0.8C alloy

[摘要] The effect of cerium content and thermomechanical processing on structure and properties of Fe–10.5 wt.%Al–0.8 wt%C alloy has been investigated. Alloys were prepared by a combination of air induction melting with flux cover (AIMFC) and electroslag remelting (ESR). The ESR ingots were hot-forged and hotrolled at 1373 K as well as warm-rolled at 923 K and heat-treated. Hot-rolled, warm-rolled and heat treated alloys were examined using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction to understand the microstructure of these alloys. The ternary, Fe–10.5 wt.%Al–0.8 wt.%C alloy showed the presence of two phases; Fe–Al with bcc structure, and large volume fraction of Fe3AlC0.5 precipitates. Addition of cerium to Fe–10.5 wt.%Al–0.8 wt.%C alloy resulted in three phases, the additional phase being small volume fraction of fine cerium oxy-carbide precipitates. Improvement in tensile elongation from 3–6.4% was achieved by increasing the cerium content from 0.01–0.2 wt.% and further improvement in tensile elongation from 6.4–10% was achieved by warm-rolling and heat treatment.

[学科分类] 材料工程

[关键词] Iron aluminides;cerium addition;air induction melting;electroslag remelting;EPMA.