Microstructure selection criteria for cast irons with more than 10 wt.% chromium for wear applications

A series of wear-resistant irons was cast, and in some cases heat treated, to study and characterize their microstructure. These castings were especially designed to vary the type, size and proportion of the different carbides that might be present in the microstructure at room temperature, either as a primary constituent or associated with the matrix. All the microstructural constituents were rationalized in terms of binary and ternary diagrams. It is possible from this work to derive a rational criterion for the selection of the most adequate material for wear and erosion applications.