Characteristics of the microstructure of corrosion-resistant cast 24Cr-5Ni-2.5Mo duplex steel after introduction of 0.98, 1.67 and 4.3% Si were described. Based on the test results it has been found that silicon addition introduced to the corrosion-resistant cast two-phase duplex steel significantly reduces austenite content in the alloy matrix. Increasing silicon content in the test alloy to 4.3% has resulted, in addition to the elimination of austenite, also in the precipitation of Si-containing intermetallic phases at the grain boundaries and inside the grains. The precipitates were characterized by varying content of Cr and Mo, indicating the presence in the structure of more than one type of the brittle phase characteristic for this group of materials. The simulation using Thermo-Calc software has confirmed the presence of ferrite in all tested alloys. In the material containing 4.3% Si, the Cr and Si enriched precipitates, such as G phase and Cr3Si were additionally observed to occur.

Among the family of stainless steels, cast austenitic stainless steels (CASSs) are preferably used due to their high mechanical properties

and corrosion resistance. These steels owe their properties to their microstructural features consisting of an austenitic matrix and skeletal

or lathy type δ-ferrite depending on the cooling rate. In this study, the solidification behavior of CASSs (304L and 316L grades) was

studied using ThermoCalc software in order to determine the solidification sequence and final microstructure during cooling. Theoretical

findings were supported by the microstructural examinations. For the mechanical characterization, not only hardness measurements but

also tribological studies were carried out under dry sliding conditions and worn surfaces were examined by microscopy and 3D

profilometric analysis. Results were discussed according to the type and amount of microstructural features.

The paper presents the possibility of application of the developed computer script which allows the assessment of non-equilibrium

solidification of binary alloys in the ThermoCalc program. The script makes use of databases and calculation procedures of the POLY-3

module. A solidification model including diffusion in the solid state, developed by Wołczyński, is used to describe the non-equilibrium

solidification. The model takes into account the influence of the degree of solute segregation on the solidification process by applying the

so-called back-diffusion parameter. The core of the script is the iteration procedure with implemented model equation. The possibility of

application of the presented calculation method is illustrated on the example of the Cr-30% Ni alloy. Computer simulations carried out

with use of the developed script allow to determine the influence of the back-diffusion parameter on the course of solidification curves,

solidus temperature, phase composition of the alloy and the fraction of each phase after the solidification completion, the profile of solute

concentration in liquid during solidification process, the average solute concentration in solid phase at the eutectic temperature and many

other quantities which are usually calculated in the ThermoCalc program.

As part of the studies conducted in the field of broadly understood casting of non-ferrous metals, selected results on the impact of variable additions of copper and silicon in aluminium were presented. A series of melts was carried out with copper content kept constant at a level of 2% (1st stage) and 4% (2nd stage) and variable contents of silicon introduced into aluminium. The crystallization characteristics of the examined alloys and the percentage of structural constituents at ambient temperature were obtained by modelling the thermodynamic parameters of individual phases with the CALPHAD method. The microstructure of the obtained alloys was examined and microhardness was measured by the Vickers-Hanemann method. The alloy properties were assessed based on the results of mechanical tests, including ultimate tensile strength (UTS), hardness (BHN) and elongation (E). The machinability of the tested alloys was analyzed in a machinability test carried out by the Keep-Bauer method, which consisted in drilling with a constant feed force.

The obtained results clearly indicate changes in the images of microstructure, such as the reduction in grain size, solution hardening and precipitation hardening. The changes in the microstructure are also reflected in the results of mechanical properties testing, causing an increase in strength and hardness, and plasticity variations in the range of 4 ÷ 16%, mainly due to the introduced additions of copper and silicon. The process of alloy strengthening is also visible in the results of machinability tests. The plotted curves showing the depth of the hole as a function of time and the images of chips produced during the test indicate an improvement in the wear resistance obtained for the tested group of aluminium alloys with the additions of copper and silicon.