High temperature behavior of three compacted graphite iron (CGI) alloys on polycrystalline alumina substrates (99.7%, poro­sity <3%) were examined by the sessile drop method combined with classical contact heating procedure in flowing Ar. High-speed high-resolution CCD camera was used for continuous recording of the CGI/Al2O3 couples during melting alloy, heating to and holding the couples at the test temperature of 1450°C for 15 min and their subsequent cooling. The comparative studies were made with conventional CGI (in wt.%: 3.70 C, 2.30 Si, 0.44 Mn, 0.054 P, 0.017 Mg, 0.015 S) and two alloys additionally containing the same amounts of 0.25 Mo, 0.1 V, 0.045 Sn and 0.032 Sb with different concentrations of Mg + Cu additions, i.e. 0.01Mg + 0.33Cu and 0.02Mg + 0.83Cu. All three CGI alloys demonstrated non-wetting behavior on the Al2O3 substrates while the contact angle values slightly decreased with increase of the Mg + Cu content in the alloy, i.e. 131° (unalloyed CGI), 130° (0.01Mg + 0.33Cu) and 125° (0.02Mg + 0.83Cu). Structural characterization of solidified couples by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy revealed: 1) heterogeneous nucleation of discontinuous graphite layer at the drop-side interfaces and on the surface of the drops; 2) reactively formed Mg-rich oxide layer at the substrate-side interface; 3) the formation of satellite droplets on the surface of the drops during their solidification; 4) degeneration of initially compacted graphite to lamellar graphite after remelting and subsequent solidification of the drops, particularly in their surface layer.

The multiple direct remelting of composites based on the A359 alloy reinforced with 20% of Al2O3 particles was performed. The results of both gravity casting and squeeze casting were examined in terms of the obtained microstructure and mechanical characteristics. In microstructure examinations, the combinatorial method based on phase quanta theory was used. In mechanical tests, the modified low cycle fatigue method (MLCF) was applied. The effects obtained after both gravity casting and squeeze casting were compared. It was noted that both characteristics were gradually deteriorating up to the tenth remelting. The main cause was the occurrence of shrinkage porosity after the gravity casting. Much better results were obtained applying the squeeze casting process. The results of microstructure examinations and fatigue tests enabled drawing the conclusion that the A359 alloy reinforced with Al2O3 particles can confer a much better fatigue life behavior to the resulting composite than the A359 alloy without the reinforcement. At the same time, comparing these results with the results of the previous own research carried out on the composites based also on the A359 alloy but reinforced in the whole volume with SiC particles, it has been concluded that both types of the composites can be subjected to multiple remelting without any significant deterioration of the structural and mechanical characteristics. The concepts and advantages of using the combinatorial and MLCF methods in materials research were also presented