Addition of carbon to cast iron beyond 6.67%

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SUMMARY

The addition of carbon to cast iron beyond 6.67% results in the formation of graphite flakes, which significantly diminishes the material's properties, making it softer and more brittle. Cementite (Fe3C) is the iron compound with the highest carbon content at 6.67%. Attempts to create cast iron with higher carbon content are impractical due to burning issues and lack of advantages. Malleable cast iron, for instance, contains only about 2.5% carbon, highlighting the inefficacy of exceeding the 6.67% threshold.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of cast iron properties and classifications
  • Familiarity with cementite (Fe3C) and its role in iron-carbon alloys
  • Knowledge of graphite formation and its effects on material properties
  • Basic comprehension of phase diagrams in metallurgy
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the phase diagram for iron-carbon (Fe-C) to understand material behavior
  • Explore powder metallurgy techniques for high-carbon iron applications
  • Investigate the properties and applications of malleable cast iron
  • Study the effects of carbon content on the mechanical properties of cast iron
USEFUL FOR

Metallurgists, materials scientists, and engineers involved in the production and application of cast iron, particularly those focused on optimizing carbon content for desired material properties.

velmurugan
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can anyone please give me the answer for addition of carbon to cast iron beyond 6.67%..
 
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The iron compound with most carbon by weight, 6.67%, is cementite, Fe3C.
Any carbon added beyond that will form flakes of graphite. Those flakes reduce the useful properties of cast iron by making it softer and more brittle.

It is also quite difficult to make cast iron with higher carbon than cementite because it burns. If there were not much better and lower cost materials, it could be formed using powder metallurgy techniques.

There is no advantage in making cast iron with more than 6.67% carbon.
 
Baluncore said:
Any carbon added beyond that will form flakes of graphite. Those flakes reduce the useful properties of cast iron by making it softer and more brittle.
...
There is no advantage in making cast iron with more than 6.67% carbon.

That depends what you want to use it for. I used to pass an iron foundry every day on the way to work, where that was their speciality product.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_iron#Malleable_cast_iron
 
@ AlephZero.
Malleable cast iron has only about 2.5% carbon by weight.

You failed to quote the first line of my post.

I know of no useful cast iron that is composed of only iron carbide with graphite.
Maybe you should examine the phase diagram for Fe – C near the top of the page you link to.
Do you know of any cast iron with greater than 6.67% carbon?
 

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