Effect of Solute Silicon on the Lattice Parameter of Ferrite in Ductile Irons

The effect of solute silicon on the ferrite lattice parameter has been investigated using X-ray diffraction in cast ductile irons (DI) with nominal Si contents between 2.50 and 4.56 wt%. It was found that silicon changes the ferrite lattice parameter by –0.00185 Å per wt% Si. This contraction coefficient is three times larger than the most commonly used Si coefficient in the literature. Since substitutional solution by silicon contracts the ferrite lattice while the interstitial solution by carbon expands the lattice, the Si contraction coefficient found will have a significant effect on subsequent evaluation of the carbon content in austempered Si-alloyed ductile irons and steels.