MECHANICAL AND CORROSION PROPERTIES OF PRODUCED GREY CAST IRON USING VARYING WEIGHT PERCENT MAGNESIUM IN RICE HUSK PARTICULATECAPSULE

Abstract

Mechanical and corrosion properties of produced grey cast iron using varying weight percent magnesium in rice husk particulate capsule was investigated. 0.4 and 0.6 wt.% Mg from ferrosilicon magnesium powder incorporated in different rice husk particulate capsules were used to treat the molten metal in the ladle before pouring into prepared sand moulds. These were used to produce the cast samples. Specimens were cut from the cast samples using hacksaw machine for hardness, tensile and corrosion tests. Optical microscope and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the samples produced. Sample with 0.6 wt.% Mg incorporated in non-pulverized rice husk particulate capsule had tensile strength of 514.9 MPa compared to other cast samples with tensile strength values of 163 to 415.1 MPa. Hardness and percent elongation values were observed to increase from 48.5 to 52.5 HRA, and 1.0 to 4.4 % respectively as the weight percent of magnesium increases. Sample treated with 0.6 wt. % Mg in non-pulverized rice husk capsule possessed the highest hardness values of 52.5 HRA and 4.4 % for hardness and percentage elongation respectively. In 3.5 wt. % NaCl solution, it was observed that the sample treated with 0.6 wt. % Mg had lowest corrosion rate indicating the cast sample possessed better corrosion resistant in the solution. In 0.3M H2SO4 solution, cast samples using pulverized and rice husk ash capsules were slightly more susceptible to corrosion in comparison with non-pulverized rice husk particulate capsule treated with 0.6 wt. % magnesium.