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The effect of the element cerium on the microstructure and wear behavior of Fe-B cast alloy was investigated by scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, X-ray diffraction analysis, Leica digital image analysis, hardness tester and abrasion tester. The microstructures of as-cast Fe-B alloy are composed of the phase ferrite, pearlite and eutectic boride. Moreover, the as-cast eutectic boride structures in Fe-B alloy containing cerium are finer than that in the alloy having no cerium. After heat treatment, the average boride area and wear weight loss of the alloy containing cerium are lower than these of the alloy having no cerium. Before the formation of primary austenite, cerium can combine with oxygen to form CeO. CeO can act as nuclei of primary austenite, promoting the refinement of austenite and borides during solidification, and improve the wear property of Fe-B alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microstructures of Fe-B alloys containing different carbon and boron concentrations have been investigated. The solidification microstructures of Fe-B alloy consist of the eutectic boride, pearlite, and ferrite. Borides precipitate along the grain boundary during the formation of eutectic. After heat treatment, the phases in Fe-B alloy are composed of the boride and martensite. With increase of carbon and boron concentrations, the Rockwell hardness of Fe-B alloy becomes larger. Meanwhile, by using a pin-on-disk abrasion tester, the effects of carbon and boron concentrations on the wear behaviors including ploughing depth, roughness, and wear weight loss under different loads have been studied. The results show that the wear resistance of Fe-B alloy with higher carbon and boron concentrations is comparable with the high chromium white cast iron. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]