Gray Cast Iron With Directional Graphite Flakes Produced by Cylinder Covered Compression Process

A new plastic deformation process for gray cast iron named cylinder covered compression (CCC) was developed. By CCC process, gray cast iron (GCI) specimens, which are embedded in steel cylinders, were hot compressed up to 80% reduction in height without the cracking problem. It was clearly observed that the uniform distribution of directional graphite flakes appeared after more than 45% reduction hot compression. The strength, ductility, and microhardness of GCI after 80% reduction deformation were significantly enhanced: the tensile strength varied from 117 MPa to 249 MPa, while the total elongation varied from 0 to 5.2%, and the microhardness varied from 153 HV to 217 HV. It was shown that the tensile fracture surface presented ductility characters after more than 45% reduction hot deformation.