The Metallurgy Research Centre has presented its research works related to improving the corrosion response of forging steels and optimizing the mechanical properties of ductile cast iron with high silicon content by alloying new elements.
As the first presentation of AZTERLAN in this renowned meeting, PhD. Enara Mardaras, coordinator of the research line of Corrosion and Protection of Metallic Materials of the Center, has presented the work Study of the resistance to corrosion of refills with powder mixture made by LMD in which the team has aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of using laser deposition technology to regulate the resistance to pitting corrosion of 42CrMo4 alloy steels, widely used in the development of heat-treated forged parts.
“In order to improve the response to corrosion of this type of material, we have carried out several tests with metal powder refills of AISI 316L and Inco 625 alloys in different percentages”. After analyzing the different samples carried out through diverse advanced characterization tests, the team has been able to verify that the results obtained are promising, “especially, if we take into account the cost-performance correlation, since, with intermediate alloys, close to 50/50%, we have achieved a similar pitting resistance equivalent number at a lower cost”.
For his part, PhD. Rodolfo González-Martínez, researcher of the Line of Corrosion and Protection of Materials of AZTERLAN, has presented the work Effect of Cobalt on the mechanical properties of the iron castings with spheroidal graphite and high content of Silicon. “In ductile casting it is known that silicon has significant positive effects on the mechanical properties of parts. In order to optimize the mechanical properties of this type of foundry, different alloy elements such as Nickel, Cobalt and / or Aluminum are being used. In this work we wanted to know the effect of Cobalt on the properties of spheroidal graphite foundry with high silicon”.
To this end, the research team has developed several samples of materials with different levels of Silicon and Cobalt. After their analysis, “we have been able to observe that the addition of Cobalt affects directly to the properties granted by high silicon values“. While “increasing silicon content increases tensile strength and adding cobalt increases the breaking load compared to non-alloyed high-silicon foundries, the silicon levels at which optimal tensile strength values are obtained decreases with the addition of cobalt”.
The XVI National Congress of Materials, organized by SOCIEMAT – Spanish Society of Materials has taken place in Ciudad Real from June 28 to July 1.