The Comparison of the Effects of Nodular Cast Iron Laser Alloying with Selected Substances

The aim of this research was to compare the effects of laser treatment, with the same heating conditions, using four selected alloying substances (silicon, cobalt, silicon nitride and titanium), in the surface layer of nodular cast iron. The treatment was performed with a molecular laser. As the microstructure observation revealed, the greatest amount of implemented elements was diluted during the treatment in a solid solution. In all cases (except during the alloying process with cobalt), in the alloying zone, a fine and homogeneous microstructure was found. In the alloying zone, cobalt counteracted the formation of the martensitic microstructure so effectively that austenite turned into exclusively fine perlite (or bainite at most). The size of the obtained alloyed zone was different, despite the same laser heat treatment parameters. A 30% smaller depth of zone after laser alloying with silicon nitride, as compared with alloying with cobalt or silicon, was observed. The highest strengthening of the alloyed zone could be expected when silicon (hardness was approx. 980HV0.1 and the modulus of elasticity was 208 GPa) and titanium (hardness was approx. 880HV0.1 and the modulus of elasticity was 194 GPa) were used. The lowest hardness (700HV0.1) was observed for the zone alloyed with cobalt due to pearlite (or bainite) existence.