Quantitative 3D characterisation of graphite morphology in cast iron – correlation between processing, microstructure and properties

Abstract Cast irons with different graphite morphologies were thoroughly analysed and their influence on the electrical properties was studied. Graphite morphology was analysed with focused ion beam tomography. The graphite crystal structure, nucleation and growth mechanisms were studied using chemical analysis and thin foils observations with transmission electron microscopy. Quantitative three-dimensional characterisation of the shape and spatial connectivity, as well as the growth mechanisms provided understanding of the structure of the different graphite morphologies and allowed the estimation of their influence on the effective properties using simulations directly on the tomographic data. First correlations between manufacturing parameters, spatial microstructure and effective properties were suggested for advanced material development and non-destructive quality control.