white cast iron
White cast iron is a form of high-carbon cast iron. This is due to the extreme hardness and brittleness characteristics of this alloy. The name comes from the fact that the fracture surface is white and crystalline, the cause of which is the absence of graphite in it, thus making it extremely wear-resistant and less ductile.
Key Features:
- Composition and Structure: The chemical content of white cast iron is very high in carbon (approximately around 2.5-4%) and silicon (around 1–3%).Iron carbide or cements instead of graphite, and this hardens which makes it abrasive resistance.
- Enhanced Properties: Remarking hard and abrasive resistant, it can be considered quite suitable for abrasive environments. Brittleness of this nature prevents the use in applications that require shock-absorption or ductility.
- Many Applications: Grinding balls, mill liners, crusher parts, and pump components are just some applications that can be used. Used by most of the industries such as mining, cement production, and manufacturing, where high wear resistance is mainly important.
The significance of white cast iron lies in its durability against most abrasives. Its brittleness restricts its use in constructing applications, but it can be improvised through heat treatment and by alloying for use in different work settings.