Microstructural Evolution of Compacted Graphite Iron under Thermo-Mechanical Fatigue Conditions

Cast iron components in combustion engines, such as cylinder blocks and heads, are exposed for long periods of time to elevated temperatures and subjected to large numbers of heating and cooling cycles. In complex components, these cycles can lead to localized cracking due to stresses that develop as a result of thermal gradients and thermal mismatch. This phenomenon is known as Thermo-Mechanical Fatigue (TMF). Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI) provides a suitable combination of thermal and mechanical properties to satisfy the performance of engine components. However, TMF conditions cause microstructural changes, accompanied by the formation of oxides at and close to the surface, which together lead to a growth in size of the cast iron. These microstructural changes affect the mechanical properties and accordingly the thermo-mechanical fatigue properties. The aim of this research is to provide insight into the microstructure evolution of CGI, with its complex morphology, under TMF conditions. For this, optical and scanning electron microscopy observations are made after cyclic exposure to air at high temperature, both without and with mechanical loading. It was found that the oxide layers, which develop at elevated temperatures, crack during the cooling cycle of TMF. The cracking results from tensile stresses developing during the cooling cycle. Therefore, paths for easy access of oxygen into the material are formed. Fatigue cracks that develop also show oxidation at their flanks. In order to quantify the oxide layers surrounding the graphite particles, Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (SEM-EDX) and Electron Probe Micro Analysis (EPMA) are used.