Evaluation of the Microstructure and High Temperature Wear Behavior of Cast Iron/Tungsten Carbide Surface Composite for use in the Hot and Cold Rollers of Roller Table and Pinch Rolls

Roller tables, rollers, and pinch rolls are widely used in different industries ranging from rolling mills, sheet metal works, ceramic and tile production industries, etc. Their harsh working conditions, like heating furnaces with high temperatures, oxide debris, and ceramic materials, have been a matter of concern. High wear-resistant cast iron has always been a common material for making these tools. In the present study, motivated to use in the rollers of the rolling line, the production of cast iron-based matrix surface composite reinforced with tungsten carbide (WC), as a surface metal matrix composite (SMMC), using a centrifugal casting process was evaluated in detail. The microstructure of samples was characterized using optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX). The results indicated that a ۳ mm thick composite layer was formed on the sample surface. The findings reveal that the formation of a composite structure on the surface can dramatically improve the wear resistance of cast iron; as a result, the weight loss of composite samples was decreased by ۶۱% after a ۱۰۰۰ m sliding distance at ۲۵ °C when compared with non-composite samples. Results suggest that the production of cast iron-based matrix surface composite reinforced with WC using centrifugal casting, as a feasible and acceptable process, can be a promising and cost-effective way to improve the performance of rollers of rolling lines and even hot rolling mill rolls.