Effect of the Rotating Speed of Centrifugal Machine on Microstructures and Properties of Recycled WCP/Fe-C Composites

The dead or scrap WCP/Fe-C composites parts were remelted via medium frequency induction furnace. Two recycled composites rings were made of the remelted mixture by centrifugal casting method at 720rpm and 920rpm, respectively. The effect of rotating speed of centrifugal machine on microstructures and properties of the recycled composites rings were investigated by mechanical property tester, SEM, EDS, and XRD. The results show that the recycled rings are a composite structure consisting of outer recycled composites region reinforced with undissoved WCP and core Fe-C alloy region unreinforced. The undissoved WCP-distribution in the recycled composites region is even. At the rotating speed of 720 rpm, the particle volume fraction in the recycled composites region reaches 54 vol.%, the hardness and impact toughness attain to HRC55.8 and 3.5J/cm2, respectively. As the rotating speed is raised to 920 rpm, the particle volume fraction rises to about 70 vol.%, the hardness increases to HRC63.3 and yet the impact reduces to 2.8 J/cm2. The microstructure in the inner Fe-C alloy region consists of bainitic, precipitated carbides with short rod like shape and graphite phase. Finally, the high-speed sliding wear behaviour of the recycled composites rings was investigated in the paper. Keywords: The dead or scrap composites parts; Recycled composites; rotating speed of centrifugal machine; Microstructures and properties.