Similarities of nucleation and growth of spheroidal and compacted graphite

Abstract

Compacted and spheroidal graphite cast irons have been examined in order to determine and compare their nucleation and growth mechanisms. The three dimensional morphology of compacted graphite makes difficult the localisation of the nuclei. However, at the initial steps of growth, compacted graphite arms are not well developed, thus helping to find out the nuclei. The present work confirms that compacted graphite nucleation proceed by the same mechanism as that found for spheroidal graphite. The germs follow the same stabilisation conditions provided that the same inoculant is employed.

Keywords:

• compacted graphite
• spheroidal graphite
• graphite morphology
• nucleation