Rapid Solidification Behavior of Fe-Cr-Mn-Mo-Si-C Alloys

The rapid solidification behavior of alloys in the Fe-Cr-Mn-Mo-Si-C system was investigated for different compositions and cooling rates. The C content was varied and alloying additions of Mo and B were studied with respect to their effect on the microstructure. The alloys were cast as either melt-spun ribbons or as 1-mm-thick plates after levitation or as rods 2 to 4 mm in diameter by injection into copper molds. A homogeneous single-phase structure was obtained for the alloy of composition 72.8Fe-8Cr-6Mn-5Si-5Mo-3.2C (wt pct), for a sample diameter of 2.85 mm, at a cooling rate of ≈1100 K/s. The single-phase structure was identified as a metastable solid solution, exhibiting the characteristics of the e phase. Upon reheating, decomposition of the single-phase structure into fine bainite plates and secondary carbides was observed between 600 °C and 700 °C. The annealed structure obtained showed high hardness values (>850 HV).