Peculiarities of the precipitation of nanosized ε-phase copper particles in ferrite plates of lamellar pearlite

Abstract

The fine structure of pearlite in alloys with the structure of gray cast iron that contain 1.6 and 10.8 wt% copper has been studied using transmission electron microscopy. Peculiarities of the formation of the nanosized particles of the ε-phase in ferrite lamellae of the pearlite have been determined and their influence on the character of the dislocation structure in the ferrite constituent of the pearlite has been demonstrated. It has been found that the Kurdyumov–Sachs orientation relationship is established between the particles of the ε and α phases. In the investigated cast irons, the formation of nanosized ε-copper particles results in the growth of pearlite hardness by 35 HV and 84 HV, respectively.