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In this study, the effect of the cooling rate controlled by different castings thickness ranging from 3 to 25 mm on the mechanical and corrosion behavior of Si–Mo ductile iron (DI) castings was investigated. SEM-EBSD investigations demonstrated that the nodule counts, nodularity, and ferrite phase increased while the ferritic grain size decreased with decreasing in the casting wall thickness; this in turn led to improvements in the tensile properties of the DI. The corrosion behavior of Si–Mo DI castings was investigated after different immersion times in a 3.5 wt pct NaCl solution via electrochemical experiments. The electrochemical results showed that the corrosion resistance of Si–Mo DI decreased in the following order: 3 > 5 > 13 > 25 mm. The results indicated that all of the tested DI samples exhibited galvanic corrosion between the nobler carbide and ferritic matrix phases. SEM analysis showed that the dissolution of the ferrite phase with the pearlite phase exposed and accumulated on the DI’s surface, which led to intense corrosion acceleration. The higher corrosion rates that were observed for those samples with higher casting wall thicknesses could be associated with the higher contents of pearlite/carbide.

Ductile irons were produced into different casting wall sections, that is, 25 mm, 5 mm and 3 mm. The alloys were then austenitized with the same conditions at 875 °C for 2 h and austempered for three different combinations of temperatures and times: 250 °C for 6 h, 310 °C for 3 h and 380 °C for 1 h. The aim of the investigation was to study the ausferrite stability of austempered ductile irons with three different nominal contents of nickel produced in thin sections through tensile testing. So, strain hardening analysis of tensile flow curves was carried out since it has been found to be a reliable support to ductility analysis in assessing the optimal austempering conditions. Because of different wall sections, round and flat tensile specimens with geometries complying with ASTM E8/E8M-11 were tested. Austempered ductile irons from 5 and 3 mm wall sections were tested through flat geometry specimens only, while 25 mm wall sections were tested through both round and flat geometries. Though the ausferrite was affected by Ni content and the graphite morphology was improved with reduced thin sections, the ausferrite stability and the tensile mechanical behavior were insensitive to Ni content and section thickness below 25 mm. Furthermore, it resulted that the tensile plastic behavior was sensitive to the specimen geometry in a consistent way, increasing the instability of ausferrite and indicating that a proper analysis and comparison of tensile properties of austempered ductile irons must take into account the tensile specimen geometry.

The paper presents the results of the research on the impact of process parameters of high-pressure, cold-chamber die casting of an industrial casting made of aluminium alloy on the casting properties assessed macroscopically by measuring the casting average density and microscopically through the characteristics of the casting microstructure. The analysis covers the influence of three selected velocity settings of the pressing plunger, which determine the filling time, and three values of the compression pressure setting characteristic of the third phase of the casting process. The cooling and solidification simulations of the casting were performed using the ProCAST software. During the simulation tests, the impact of the filling rate of the alloy into the die cavity on the cooling rate and the alloy solidification path at selected points were determined. The conducted research allowed linking the process parameters with the parameters of the casting structure with different wall thicknesses. Metallographic examinations of the castings were carried out using a light microscopy, SEM, and EDS analysis. The fraction of the phases α(Al), the size of dendritic cells, and the size of silicon particles, in the cross-sections of the castings with wall thickness of 3, 6, and 11 mm, respectively, were determined.

Solid-state transformation during heat treatment is of great practical importance because it significantly affects the final structure, properties, and thermal stability of cast components. The present study highlights the issue of structure formation and its effect on the thermal stability of high-quality cast iron, namely, austempered ductile iron (ADI). In this study, experiments were carried out for castings with a 25-mm-walled thickness and under variable heat treatment conditions, i.e., austenitization and austempering within ranges of 850 °C to 925 °C and 250 °C to 380 °C, respectively. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) investigations were carried out within a range of − 260 °C to + 450 °C to study the structure parameters related to the XRD tests, which provided information related to the phase participation, lattice parameters, and stresses in the microstructure as well as with an expansion of the crystal lattice. The results also provide insight into the role of the structure and its homogeneity on the thermal stability of ADI cast iron. The present work also aims to develop strategies to suppress the formation of blocky-shaped austenite in the ADI structure to maintain a homogeneous microstructure and high thermal stability.

Aim: The Expansion-Contraction model has been used to explain the responses of species to climatic changes. During periods of unfavourable climatic conditions, species retreat to refugia from where they may later expand. This paper focuses on the palaeoecology of red deer over the past 54 ka across Europe and the Urals, to reveal patterns of change in their range and explore the role of environmental conditions in determining their distribution. Location: Europe and western Asia to 63°E. Taxon: Red deer (Cervus elaphus). Methods: We collected 984 records of radiocarbon-dated red deer subfossils from the Late Pleistocene and the Holocene, including 93 original dates. For each deer sample we compiled climatic and biome type data for the corresponding time intervals. Results: During the last 54 ka changes in red deer range in Europe and the Urals were asynchronous and differed between western and eastern Europe and western Asia due to different environmental conditions in those regions. The range of suitable areas for deer during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) was larger than previously thought and covered vast regions not only in southern but also in western and eastern Europe. Throughout the period investigated the majority of specimens inhabited forests in the temperate climatic zone. The contribution of forests in deer localities significantly decreased during the last 4 ka, due to deforestation of Europe caused by humans. Mean January temperature was the main limiting factor for species distribution. Over 90% of the samples were found in areas where mean January temperature was above −10°C. Main conclusions: Red deer response to climatic oscillations are in agreement with the Expansion-Contraction model but in contradiction to the statement of only the southernmost LGM refugia of the species. During the last 54 ka red deer occurred mostly in forests of the temperate climatic zone. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. European Social Fund, Grant/Award Number: UDA-POKL.04.01.01-00-072/09-00; University of Wroclaw, Grant/Award Number: 0410/2990/18; Institute of Environmental Biology, University of Wrocław, Grant/Award Number: 0410/2990/18; Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences; Narodowe Centrum Nauki , Grant/Award Number: DEC-2013/11/B/NZ8/00888 and UMO-2016/23/B/HS3/00387; Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research, UEFISCDI, Grant/Award Number: PN-IIIP4-ID-PCE-2016-0676; National Centre for Atmospheric Science and the Centre for Environmental Data Analysis, UK; Faunal Database of the Stage Three Project; Leverhulme Trust, Grant/Award Number: F00568W.

The microstructure and tensile behavior of two heavy section castings that had chemical compositions typical of GJS400 were investigated. Conventional metallography, fractography, and micro-Computer Tomography (μ-CT) were employed, enabling the quantification of the volume fractions of eutectic cells with degenerated Chunky Graphite (CHG), which was identified as the major defect in the castings. The Voce equation approach was exploited to evaluate the tensile behaviors of the defective castings for integrity assessment. The results demonstrated that the Defects-Driven Plasticity (DDP) phenomenon, which refers to an unexpected regular plastic behavior related to defects and metallurgical discontinuities, was consistent with the observed tensile behavior. This resulted in a linearity of Voce parameters in the Matrix Assessment Diagram (MAD), which contradicts the physical meaning of the Voce equation. The findings suggest that the defects, such as CHG, contribute to the linear distribution of Voce parameters in the MAD. Furthermore, it is reported that the linearity in the MAD of Voce parameters for a defective casting is equivalent to the existence of a pivotal point in the differential data of the tensile strain hardening data. This pivotal point was exploited to propose a new material quality index assessing the integrity of castings.

The inhibition effect of gum arabic (GA) was investigated using weight loss measurements and electrochemical techniques. The results show that the inhibition efficiency of GA increased with an increase in the concentration of the inhibitor but decreased with the temperature. Immersion time was found to have a profound effect on the corrosion inhibition performance of the inhibitor. Polarization measurements revealed that GA was a mixed-type inhibitor, with higher influence on the anodic reaction. The inhibitor followed the Temkin’s adsorption isotherm, and the values of the standard free adsorption energy indicate a mixed-type adsorption, with the physical adsorption being more dominant. SEM–EDS and FT-IR measurements were also employed to support the findings.

The effect of CO2 partial pressure on the corrosion inhibition efficiency of gum arabic (GA) on the N80 carbon steel pipeline in a CO2-water saline environment was studied by using gravimetric and electrochemical measurements at different CO2 partial pressures (e.g., PCO2 = 1, 20 and 40 bar) and temperatures (e.g., 25 and 60 &deg, C). The results showed that the inhibitor efficiency increased with an increase in inhibitor concentration and CO2 partial pressure. The corrosion inhibition efficiency was found to be 84.53% and 75.41% after 24 and 168 h of immersion at PCO2 = 40 bar, respectively. The surface was further evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements. The SEM-EDS and GIXRD measurements reveal that the surface of the metal was found to be strongly affected by the presence of the inhibitor and CO2 partial pressure. In the presence of GA, the protective layer on the metal surface becomes more compact with increasing the CO2 partial pressure. The XPS measurements provided direct evidence of the adsorption of GA molecules on the carbon steel surface and corroborated the gravimetric results.

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of climate on the distribution and present-day genetic structure of the common vole (Microtus arvalis) and the field vole (Microtus agrestis). In this study, we used previously published data on the genetic structure (using microsatellite DNA) of the common and field vole in Central Europe and a set of climatic variables to conduct binomial generalized linear and environmental niche modeling. In terms of present-day genetic structure, climate is an important factor shaping the patterns of distribution of the identified genetic groups, with the average minimum temperature in January being a significant factor for both species. For the field vole, average annual precipitation was an important factor also and consistent with the species’ preference for wet habitats. Therefore, this study has provided indirect evidence that (1) climate can shape the genetic structure and distribution of species at both broad and local scales and (2) using genetic data and species distribution modeling can be an effective approach to establish locations of putative glacial refugia for different species in Europe and to explore their past evolutionary history.

In this study the effect of copper and nickel in shaping the structure and properties of ADI (Austempered Ductile Iron) was investigated. The austenitization and austempering transformations were studied in order to follow the changes exhibited in transformation kinetics. The dilatometric results indicated that the addition of Cu and the addition of both Cu and Ni resulted in reducing relative expansion during austenitization, due to a larger pearlite fraction in the microstructure. In the initial stage of the austempering process, the addition of Cu, and to a greater extent, additions of both Cu and Ni led to a reduction in the transformation rate, shifting the maximum transformation rate values toward longer times. X-ray diffraction, dilatometric, metallographic and magnetic examinations allowed us to determine the phases fraction in the structure of ADI with the presence of Cu and Ni. From SEM-EDS analysis, it follows that in the copper alloyed ADI, highly dispersed particles are formed containing Mg and Cu, whose size does not exceed

In the present work, the Mg2Cu precipitates in copper-alloyed austempered ductile iron (ADI) were identified by analyzing techniques such as TEM and SEM with EDS. It was revealed that, in castings made of ADI-containing copper, highly dispersed particles of Mg2Cu are formed, whose size does not exceed

The aim of this paper was to attain defect free, pure copper castings with the highest possible electrical conductivity. In this connection, the effect of magnesium additives on the structure, the degree of undercooling (ΔTα = Tα-Tmin, where Tα - the equilibrium solidification temperature, Tmin - the minimum temperature at the beginning of solidification), electrical conductivity, and the oxygen concentration of pure copper castings have been studied. The two magnesium doses have been investigated; namely 0.1 wt.% and 0.2 wt.%. A thermal analysis was performed (using a type-S thermocouple) to determine the cooling curves. The degree of undercooling and recalescence were determined from the cooling and solidification curves, whereas the macrostructure characteristics were conducted based on a metallographic examination. It has been shown that the reaction of Mg causes solidification to transform from exogenous to endogenous. Finally, the results of electrical conductivity have been shown as well as the oxygen concentration for the used Mg additives.

Austempered Ductile Irons (ADIs) with different contents of nickel and copper were austenitized at the same conditions, and austempered for 60, 90 and 180 min to investigate the austempering evolution. Besides the conventional ductility analysis to assess the best austempering times, strain hardening analysis of tensile flow curves was carried out, since it has been found reliable for this assessment if dislocation-density-related constitutive equations are used. Through plotting the Voce equation parameters 1/? vs. ? found from the strain hardening analysis, Matrix Assessment Diagrams (MADs) were drawn, and austempering conditions closest to the best austempering times were identified. Austempering times found with ductility-criterion and MAD approach did not match. Mg-Cu particles found in copper-containing ADIs affected the reliability of tensile ductility that could not be ascribed to ausferrite stability only, while the austempering times found with MAD approach seemed to be consistent with solid-state diffusion transformations.

The present research was conducted on thin-walled castings with 5 mm wall thicknesses. This study addresses the effect of the influence of different master alloys, namely: (1) Al-5%Ti-1%B, (2) Al-5%Ti and (3) Al-3%B, respectively on the structure and the degree of undercooling (ΔTα = Tα−Tmin, where Tα - the equilibrium solidification temperature, Tmin - the minimum temperature at the beginning of α(Al) solidification) of an Al-Cu alloy. The process of fading has been investigated at different times spent on the refinement treatment ie. from 3, 20, 45 and 90 minutes respectively, from the dissolution of master alloys. A thermal analysis was performed (using a type-S thermocouple) to determine cooling curves. The degree of undercooling and recalescence were determined from cooling and solidification curves, whereas macrostructure characteristics were conducted based on a metallographic examination. The fading effect of the refinement of the primary structure is accompanied by a significant change in the number (dimension) of primary grains, which is strongly correlated to solidification parameters, determined by thermal analysis. In addition to that, the analysis of grain refinement stability has been shown with relation to different grain refinements and initial titanium concentration in Al-Cu base alloy. Finally, it has been shown that the refinement process of the primary structure is unstable and requires strict metallurgical control.

This article addresses the effects of six mold materials used for obtaining thin-walled compacted graphite iron castings with a wall thickness of 3 mm. During this research, the following materials were analyzed: fine silica sand, coarse silica sand, cerabeads, molohite and also insulated materials in the shape of microspheres, including low-density alumina/silica ceramic sand. Granulometric and SEM observations indicate that the sand matrix used in these studies differs in terms of size, homogeneity and shape. This study shows that molds made with insulating sands (microspheres) possess both: thermal conductivity and material mold ability to absorb heat, on average to be more than five times lower compared to those of silica sand. In addition to that, the resultant peak of heat transfer coefficient at the mold/metal interface for microspheres is more than four times lower in comparison with fine silica sand. This is accompanied by a significant decrease in the cooling rate of metal in the mold cavity which promotes the development of compacted graphite in thin-walled castings as well as ferrite fractions in their microstructure.

This paper considers the important factors of the production of high-strength ADI (Austempered Ductile Iron); namely, the austenitization stage during heat treatment. The two series of ADI with different initial microstructures were taken into consideration in this work. Experiments were carried out for castings with a 25-mm-walled thickness. Variable techniques (OM, SEM, dilatometry, DSC, Variable Magnetic Field, hardness, and impact strength measurements) were used for investigations of the influence of austenitization time on austempering transformation kinetics and structure in austempered ductile iron. The outcome of this work indicates that the austenitizing temperature has a very significant impact on structure homogeneity and the resultant mechanical properties. It has been shown that the homogeneity of the metallic matrix of the ADI microstructure strongly depends on the austenitizing temperature and the initial microstructure of the spheroidal cast irons (mainly through the number of graphite nodules). In addition, this work shows the role of the austenitization temperature on the formation of Mg–Cu precipitations in ADI.

The paper presents the results of tests on the spheroidising treatment of vanadium carbides VC done with magnesium master alloy and RE. The conducted metallographic studies have shown that introducing the magnesium master alloy to an Fe–C–V system of eutectic composition causes the crystallisation of spheroidal carbides. The content of these carbides is about 5.6%, representing 33% of all the crystallised vanadium carbides. Adding RE to the base alloy melt caused 31% of the vanadium carbides crystallise as dendrites. Testing of mechanical properties has proved that the spheroidising treatment of VC carbides in high-vanadium cast iron increases the tensile strength by about 60% and elongation 14–21 times, depending on the type of the spheroidising agent used. Tribological studies have shown that high-vanadium cast iron with eutectic, dendritic and spheroidal carbides has the abrasive wear resistance more than twice as high as the abrasion-resistant cast steel.

The influence of the use of moulding sand with furan resin, prepared both with fresh sand and reclaimed matrix, on the formation of a flake graphite formation at the surface layer of ductile iron castings has been investigated. A series of experimental heats of ductile iron cast in moulds made of moulding sand characterised by different levels of surface active elements (sulphur, oxygen) were performed. The effect of the wall thickness and the initial temperature of the metal in the mould cavity on the formation of flake graphite in the surface layer of the casting is shown in the paper. Investigations carried out by means of scanning electron microscopy (energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and wavelength dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) showed concentration of gradient profiles of surface active elements in the castings surface layer, which are responsible for their quality. Finally, it has been shown that there exists a significant effect of the quality of the sand on the formation of the flake graphite ...

This article addresses the effect of cooling rate and of titanium additions on the exhibited microstructure of thin-walled compacted graphite iron (TWCI) castings as determined by changing moulding media, section size and ferrotitanium. Various moulding materials were employed (silica sand and insulating sand ‘‘LDASC’’) to achieve different cooling rates. This study shows that the cooling rates exhibited in the TWCI castings varies widely (70–14 °C/s) when the wall thickness is changed from 2 to 5 mm. In turn, this is accompanied by a significant variation in the compacted graphite fraction. The resultant cooling rates were effectively reduced by applying an insulating sand in order to obtain the desired graphite compactness. Ti additions in combination with LDASC sand moulds were highly effective in promoting the development of over 80% compacted graphite in castings with wall thicknesses of 2–3 mm as evidenced by quantitative metallographic analyses.

This paper presents a coupled thermo-mechanical-metallurgical formulation to predict the dimensional changes and microstructure of a ductile cast iron part as a consequence of an austempering heat process. To take into account the different complex phenomena which are present in the process, the stress-strain law and plastic evolution equations are defined within the context of the associate rate-independent thermo-plasticity theory. The metallurgical model considers the reverse eutectoid, ausferritic, and martensitic transformations using macro- and micro-models. The resulting model is solved using the finite element method. The performance of this model is evaluated by comparison with experimental results of a dilatometric test. The results indicate that both the experimental evolution of deformation and temperature are well represented by the numerical model.

In this work, an analytical solution is proposed to explain the influence of carbon on the transition from graphite to cementite eutectic in cast iron. The outcome from this work indicates that this transition can be related to (a) the graphite nucleation potential (directly characterized by the cell count, N and indirectly by the nucleation coefficients N s and b), (b) the eutectic graphite growth rate coefficient, μ, (c) the temperature range, ∆T sc = T s − T c (where T s and T c are the equilibrium temperature for graphite eutectic and the formation temperature for cementite eutectic, respectively), and (d) the liquid volume fraction, f, after pre-eutectic austenite solidification. In addition, the absolute and the relative chilling tendencies, CT and CTr, respectively, as well as the critical cooling rate, Q cr, and the chill width, w, can be predicted from this work. The analytical model was experimentally verified for castings with various carbon contents. It was found that the carbon content increases the eutectic cell count, N while reducing the maximum degree of undercooling at the onset of graphite eutectic solidification, ∆T m. From this work it is evident that the main role of carbon on the transition from graphite to cementite eutectic is through its effect on increasing the growth coefficient and hence, the graphite eutectic growth rate, u. Moreover, at increasing carbon contents the absolute and the relative chilling tendencies including the chill width, all are significantly reduced. Finally, the equations derived using theoretical arguments for the chill width are rather similar to expressions based on a statistical analysis of the experimental outcome.

This paper presents a study of the effect of the modification and cooling rate on the grain count α(Al) in the Al-5Cu alloy. Research was performed on castings with walls thickness between 3 mm and 25 mm. Cooling curves were recorded to determine the cooling rate and the degree of undercooling at the beginning of solidification. It has been shown that cooling rate increases exponentially as the wall thickness of casting decreases. Moreover it has been demonstrated that the cooling rate of castings changes within a wide range (21°C/s - 1°C/s) when the wall thickness changes from 3 up to 25 mm. Metallographic examinations revealed primary grains (primary α(Al) grains). The paper show that the relationship between the grain count and the degree of undercooling (for non-modified and modified alloys) can be represented by the equation N = Nv = np·exp(-b/ΔTα), based on the Weibull's distribution of the size of nucleation sites.

The kinetics of reaction occurring during the austempering treatment of ductile iron (DI) containing different additions of Cu and Ni was investigated in this work. DI bars were heat treated in an instrumented dilatometer in order to follow the exhibited transformation kinetics. The dilatometric results indicated that the addition of Cu alone did not have a significant effect on the incubation times for the austempering transformation. Also, the addition of both, Cu and Ni resulted in a significant effect on reducing the transformation rates. It was found that the austempering process is characterized by two clearly distinguished transformation stages. In the initial stage, the addition of Cu, and to a greater extent, additions of both Cu and Ni led to reductions in the transformation rates shifting the maximum transformation rate values toward longer times. The outcome of this work indicates that during the first stage of austempering, nucleation of the ferrite plates occurs via a diffusionless mechanism while their growth is diffusion controlled. Moreover, after the maximum in the transformation rate has been reached, the growth of ferrite plates becomes dominant with the rate-limiting step becoming the diffusion of C into the surrounding austenite. A qualitative model for the austempering transformation is proposed in this work to account for the experimental observations.

Aim Moose, Alces alces (Linnaeus, 1758), survived the European Pleistocene glaciations in multiple southern refugia, in a northern refugium near the Carpathians and possibly in other locations. During the second millennium ad, moose were nearly extirpated in Europe and only recolonized their current range after World War II. The number and location of refugia during the Pleistocene and recent population lows may have affected the current genetic diversity. We sought to characterize the genetic diversity in European moose in order to determine its genetic structure and the location of genetic hotspots as a way of inferring its population history and the number of Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) refugia. Location Europe. Methods We sequenced 538 nucleotides from the mitochondrial control region of 657 moose from throughout the species' European range. We estimated diversity within and among 16 sampling localities, and used samova to cluster sampling locations into subpopulations. We constructed phylogenetic trees and median-joining networks to examine systematic relationships, and conducted Bayesian analysis of the coalescent and used mismatch distributions and approximate Bayesian computation to infer demographic history. Results Estonia had the highest nucleotide diversity, and western Belarus had the highest haplotype diversity. We observed four regional populations from the samova analysis. We found three haplogroups in European moose, probably representing lineages conserved in different refugia during the Pleistocene. European moose underwent spatial expansion after the LGM, but did not undergo demographic expansion. The effective population size has declined markedly within the last 2000 years. Main conclusions The current levels and distribution of genetic diversity in European moose indicate the effects both of Pleistocene glaciations and of a recent bottleneck, probably associated with anthropogenic influences such as pastoralization and hunting, and a very recent re-expansion. We show that both historical and recent events can influence the diversity and distribution of a large mammal on a large scale.

W pracy omówiono przyczyny aktualnego trendu zastępowania odlewów z żeliwa przez odlewy ze stopów aluminium. W szczególności wykazano, że możliwe jest wytworzenie odlewów cienkościennych (wahacze, wsporniki, wirniki), wykonanych z żeliwa sferoidalnego bez zabieleń, niedolewów i niespawów oraz posiadających wskaźnik wytrzymałości (stosunek wytrzymałości do gęstości) wynoszący do 87 MPa cm3/g. Ponadto zastosowanie obróbki cieplnej polegającej na austenityzacji w temperaturze 900°C przez 20 minut oraz hartowaniu izotermicznemu w kąpieli solnej w temperaturze 350°C przez 15 minut powoduje otrzymanie osnowy austerrytycznej w odlewach cienkościennych, co zwiększa wskaźnik wytrzymałości do 154 MPa cm3/g. Z przeprowadzonych badań wynika, że odlewy z żeliwa sferoidalnego mogą być lżejsze od ich substytutów ze stopów aluminium, a przy tym charakteryzować się podobnymi lub lepszymi właściwościami mechanicznymi.

A series of samples made of ductile iron GJS 400 was cast with different cooling rates, and their microstructural features were investigated. Quantitative metallography analyses compliant with ASTM E2567-16a and ASTM E112-13 standards were performed in order to describe graphite nodules and ferritic grains. The occurrence of pearlite was associated to segregations described through Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) analyses. Results were related to cooling rates, which were simulated through MAGMASOFT software. This microstructural characterization, which provides the basis for the description and modeling of the tensile properties of GJS 400 alloy, subject of a second part of this investigation, highlights that higher cooling rates refines microstructural features, such as graphite nodule count and average ferritic grain size.

The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) has the widest global distribution among terrestrial carnivore species, occupying most of the Northern Hemisphere in its native range. Because it carries diseases that can be transmitted to humans and domestic animals, it is important to gather information about their movements and dispersal in their natural habitat but it is difficult to do so at a broad scale with trapping and telemetry. In this study, we have described the genetic diversity and structure of red fox populations in six areas of north-eastern Poland, based on samples collected from 2002–2003. We tested 22 microsatellite loci isolated from the dog and the red fox genome to select a panel of nine polymorphic loci suitable for this study. Genetic differentiation between the six studied populations was low to moderate and analysis in Structure revealed a panmictic population in the region. Spatial autocorrelation among all individuals showed a pattern of decreasing relatedness with increasing distance and this was not significantly negative until 93 km, indicating a pattern of isolation-by-distance over a large area. However, there was no correlation between genetic distance and either Euclidean distance or least-cost path distance at the population level. There was a significant relationship between genetic distance and the proportion of large forests and water along the Euclidean distances. These types of habitats may influence dispersal paths taken by red foxes, which is useful information in terms of wildlife disease management. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s13364-014-0180-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The paper presents the results of investigations of the influence of the quality of moulding sand with furfuryl resin hardened by paratoluenosulphonic acid, on the formation of microstructure and surface quality of ductile iron castings. Within the studies different moulding sands were used: moulding sand prepared with fresh sand and moulding sands prepared with reclaimed sands of a different purification degree, determined by the ignition loss value. Various concentrations of sulphur and nitrogen in the sand moulds as a function of the ignition loss were shown in the paper as well as the gas emission and gas evaporation rate from the moulding sands. A series of experimental melts of ductile iron in moulds made of moulding sand characterized by different levels of surface-active elements (e.g. sulphur) and different gas evolution rates were performed. It was shown that there exist a significant effect of the quality of the sand on the formation of the graphite degeneration layer.

A solidification model for ductile iron, including Weibull formula for nodule count, has been presented. The principal assumptions of the kinetic nature of growth, depending on undercooling in respect of the eutectic equilibrium temperature and austenite liquidus line, have been adopted, disregarding the diffusion processes, which was justified by the rapid course of the crystallization process in a thin-walled casting. From this model, the following parameters can be determined: cooling curves, kinetics of austenite and eutectic nucleation, austenite and eutectic growth velocity, and volume fraction. The correctness of the mathematical model has been experimentally verified by comparison with literature data in the range of the most significant factors, which include temperature field, the value of maximum undercooling, the value of minimum and maximum temperature on a cooling curve, maximum undercooling, the recalescence and graphite nodule count interrelated with the casting cross-section.

In this work, a theoretical model is proposed for heterogeneous nucleation on substrates whose size distributions can be described by the Weibull statistics. In particular, the proposed model suggests that the size distribution for the various nucleation sites is exponential in nature. Measurements of grain count were carried out on experimental Al–1·3Si and Al–5·0Cu single phase alloys inoculated using an Al–5Ti–1B master alloy. In addition, experimental nodular and flake graphite iron castings were processed under various metallurgical conditions. In single phase alloys, the area of the equiaxed dendritic grain count was estimated from the electron backscattering diffraction analysis, whereas the graphite nodule and graphite eutectic cell count were estimated on polished cast iron surface sections by stereological means. In addition, maximum undercoolings were determined by thermal analysis. The experimental outcome indicates that the grain count can be properly described by a proposed exponenti...

In this work, a theoretical model is proposed for heterogeneous nucleation on substrates the size distributions of which can be described by the Weibull statistics. In particular, the proposed model suggests that the size distribution of the various nucleation sites is exponential in nature. It is found that the nuclei density can be given in terms of the maximum undercooling. Measurements of grain count were carried out on single-phase Al-1.3 Si and Al-5.0 Cu (wt pct) alloys inoculated using an Al-5Ti-1B (wt pct) master alloy. In the single-phase alloys, the area of equiaxed dendritic grains was estimated using EBSD analysis and by stereological means on polished and etched surface sections. In addition, maximum undercoolings were determined by thermal analysis. The experimental outcome indicates that the volumetric grain density can be properly described by an exponential expression. Finally, the magnitudes of the nucleation parameters were experimentally determined in this work.

The paper presents the results of investigations of the influence of the quality of molding sand with furan resin hardened by paratoluenesulfonic acid, on the formation of microstructure and surface quality of ductile iron castings. Within the studies different molding sands were used: molding sand prepared with fresh sand and molding sands prepared with reclaimed sands of a different purification degree, determined by the ignition loss value. Various concentrations of sulfur and nitrogen in the sand molds as a function of the ignition loss were shown in the paper. A series of experimental melts of ductile iron in molds made of molding sand characterized by different levels of surface-active elements (e.g., sulfur) and different gas evolution rates were performed. It was shown that there exists a significant effect of the quality of the sand on the formation of the graphite degeneration layer.

In this paper the effects of titanium addition in an amount up to 0.13 wt.% have been investigated to determine their effect on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Thin Wall Vermicular Graphite Iron Castings (TWVGI). The study was performed for thinwalled iron castings with 3-5 mm wall thickness and for the reference casting with 13 mm. Microstructural changes were evaluated by analyzing quantitative data sets obtained by image analyzer and also using scanning electron microscope (SEM). Metallographic examinations show that in thin-walled castings there is a significant impact of titanium addition to vermicular graphite formation. Thinwalled castings with vermicular graphite have a homogeneous structure, free of chills, and good mechanical properties. It may predispose them as a potential use as substitutes for aluminum alloy castings in diverse applications.

The study discusses a method of producing composite zones at the edge of castings made of ferritic-pearlitic ductile iron. Composite zones were produced in castings made of ferritic-pearlitic ductile iron at the casting edge. The reinforcing phase for the composite zone was TiC carbide, obtained by in-situ synthesis of substrates introduced into the mould in the form of compacts. The composition of the substrates of the reaction of the TiC synthesis was next enriched with an Fe filler added in an amount of 10 and 50 wt. % to investigate the possibility of changing the hardness of the composite zone. The addition of filler changed the surface fraction and the average size of TiC precipitates. In the case of the 50 wt. % addition, a tenfold reduction in the dimensions of the carbides was obtained. This increased their surface fraction relative to the compact composition containing only 10 wt. % of the filler. Changes in mechanical properties were analysed within the zone area by the measurement of hardness HV. The study showed a gradual decrease of the zone hardness in function of the amount of the filler added. This trend was also true as regards the composite zone in castings, where a significant refinement and increased surface content of the TiC precipitates was observed.

The paper discusses the reasons for the current trend of substituting ductile iron castings by aluminum alloys castings. However, it has been shown that ductile iron is superior to aluminum alloys in many applications. In particular it has been demonstrated that is possible to produce thin wall wheel rim made of ductile iron without the development of chills, cold laps or misruns. In addition it has been shown that thin wall wheel rim made of ductile iron can have the same weight, and better mechanical properties, than their substitutes made of aluminum alloys.

In the current study, an analytic solution is considered to explain the influence of sulfur on the transition from graphite to cementite eutectic in cast iron. The outcome from the current study indicates that this transition can be related to (a) the graphite nucleation potential (directly characterized by the cell count and indirectly by the nucleation coefficients; (b) the eutectic graphite growth rate coefficient; (c) the temperature range between the equilibrium temperature for graphite eutectic and the formation temperature for cementite eutectic; and (d) the liquid volume fraction, after pre-eutectic austenite solidification. In addition, the absolute and the relative chilling tendencies, as well as critical cooling rates including the chill width of the cast iron can be predicted from the current study. The analytic model was experimentally verified for castings with various sulfur contents. It is found that the main role of sulfur on the transition from graphite to cementite eutectic is through its effect on lowering the growth coefficient, and hence, the graphite eutectic growth rate. In addition, it is found that with the increasing sulfur content, the critical cooling rate is significantly reduced, thus increasing the absolute and the relative chilling tendency values, including the chill width.

The paper presents the results of tests on the spheroidising treatment of vanadium carbides VC done with magnesium master alloy and mischmetal. It has been proved that the introduction of magnesium master alloy to an Fe-C-V system of eutectic composition made 34% of carbides crystallise in the form of spheroids. Adding mischmetal to the base alloy melt caused 28% of the vanadium carbides crystallise as dendrites. In base alloy without the microstructure-modifying additives, vanadium carbides crystallised in the form of a branched fibrous eutectic skeleton. Testing of mechanical properties has proved that the spheroidising treatment of VC carbides in high-vanadium cast iron increases the tensile strength by about 60% and elongation 14 - 21 times, depending on the type of the spheroidising agent used. Tribological studies have shown that high-vanadium cast iron with eutectic, dendritic and spheroidal carbides has the abrasive wear resistance more than twice as high as the abrasion-resistant cast steel.

In the present work, the potential for producing thin walled ductile iron castings with an ausferritic matrix is presented. Experimentally, thin walled iron castings of 2 mm in thickness were obtained and characterised by a nodule count of 1992 mm−2. In addition, a reference casting was produced with a 25 mm thick wall and a nodule count of 330 mm−2. Austenitising was carried out at 920°C, whereas austempering was implemented in the 300–400°C temperature range. The austenitising and austempering transformation rates were determined by dilatometry, and the results were confirmed by microstructural analyses. It was found that in thin walled castings, the austenitising and austempering times were reduced by either one-half or one-third of the ones corresponding to the reference casting. The exhibited mechanical properties of the thin walled castings were also determined as a function of austempering time and temperature. It was found that austempering at 300°C for 1200 s leads to thin walled castings...

The paper presents a solidification sequence of graphite eutectic cells of A and D types, as well as globular and cementite eutectics. The morphology of eutectic cells in cast iron, the equations for their growth and the distances between the graphite precipitations in A and D eutectic types were analyzed. It is observed a critical eutectic growth rate at which one type of eutectic transformed into another. A mathematical formula was derived that combined the maximum degree of undercooling, the cooling rate of cast iron, eutectic cell count and the eutectic growth rate. One type of eutectic structure turned smoothly into the other at a particular transition rate, transformation temperature and transformational eutectic cell count. Inoculation of cast iron increased the number of eutectic cells with flake graphite and the graphite nodule count in ductile iron, while reducing the undercooling. An increase in intensity of inoculation caused a smooth transition from a cementite eutectic structure to a mixture of cementite and D type eutectic structure, then to a mixture of D and A types of eutectics up to the presence of only the A type of eutectic structure. Moreover, the mechanism of inoculation of cast iron was studied.

The mathematical model of the globular eutectic solidification in 2D was designed. Proposed model is based on the Cellular Automaton Finite Differences (CA-FD) calculation method. Model has been used for studies of the primary austenite and of globular eutectic grains growth during the ductile iron solidification in the thin wall casting. Model takes into account, among other things, non-uniform temperature distribution in the casting wall cross-section, kinetics of the austenite and graphite grains nucleation, and non-equilibrium nature of the interphase boundary migration. Calculation of eutectic saturation influence (Sc = 0.9 - 1.1) on microstructure (austenite and graphite fraction, density of austenite and graphite grains) and temperature curves in 2 mm wall ductile iron casting has been done.

The paper presents a solidification sequence of graphite eutectic cells of A and D types, as well as globular and cementite eutectics. The morphology of eutectic cells in cast iron, the equations for their growth and the distances between the graphite precipitations in A and D eutectic types were analysed. We observed a critical eutectic growth rate at which one type of eutectic transformed into another. A mathematical formula was derived that combined the maximum degree of undercooling, the cooling rate of cast iron, eutectic cell count and the eutectic growth rate. One type of eutectic structure turned smoothly into the other at a particular transition rate, transformation temperature and transformational eutectic cell count. Inoculation of cast iron increased the number of eutectic cells with flake graphite and the graphite nodule count in ductile iron, while reducing the undercooling. An increase in intensity of inoculation caused a smooth transition from a cementite eutectic structure to a mixture of cementite and D type eutectic structure, then to a mixture of D and A types of eutectics up to the presence of only the A type of eutectic structure. Moreover, the mechanism of modification of cast iron was studied.

It has been shown that it is possible to produce thin wall ductile iron (TWDI) castings of considerable length using an Archimedes spirals with a wall of 1, 2 or 3 mm in thickness. The fluidities for different moulding materials [(classical mould, chemically bonded silica sand and chemically bonded low-density alumina-silicate ceramic sand (LDASC)], chemical composition, and pouring temperature were estimated. There is a significant temperature drop in thin sections (contrary to typical sections) during the mould filling. A profile of real temperature drop is presented along with theoretical predictions. The high temperature drop of liquid iron results in an increased cooling rate (before the eutectic equilibrium solidification temperature), which in turn affects the solidification and microstructure of TWDI castings. Microstructures were characterized quantitatively using an image analyser. Structure parameters for different wall thicknesses and moulding materials (graphite nodule count, ferrite and cementite fraction) are plotted, which is versus distance from the entrance to the mould cavity. It has been shown that the thin wall castings have a gradient structure. Moreover, a strong influence of LDASC sand (material with low ability to absorb the heat) on the structure parameters of TWDI castings is presented.