High-vanadium cast iron is the white cast iron in which the regular
fibrous γ + VC eutectic with the volume fraction of vanadium carbide
amounting to about 20% crystallises. This paper presents the results of
studies on high-vanadium cast iron subjected to the inoculation
treatment with magnesium master alloy. The aim of this operation is to
change the morphology of the crystallising VC carbides from the fibrous
shape into a spheroidal one. The study also examines the effect of the
amount of the introduced inoculant on changes in the morphology of the
crystallising VC carbides. To achieve the goals once set, metallographic
studies were performed on high-vanadium cast iron of eutectic
composition in base state and after the introduction of a variable
content of the inoculant.
The introduction of magnesium-based master alloy resulted in the expected
changes of microstructure. The most beneficial effect was
obtained with the introduction of 1.5% of magnesium master alloy, since nearly
half of the crystallised vanadium carbides have acquired a spheroidal
shape.