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Compositional Analysis of Feedstock Materials for Cast Iron Production

Panai Ersbo, Rowaida LU (2026) MMTL02 20252
Production and Materials Engineering
Abstract
Pig iron is a key material in cast iron production where impurities and trace elements (ITEs) can significantly influence graphite morphology and the overall cast iron quality. The purpose of this study is to investigate the occurrence and variation of ITEs in pig iron to assess the quality from a compositional perspective, with emphasis on elements contributing to carbide formation. Pig iron samples from three industrial foundries were analyzed using a handheld X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), with complementary Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) employed for microstructural and morphological assessment. The results revealed clear compositional differences between the foundries, including variations in S content, total impurity levels and... (More)
Pig iron is a key material in cast iron production where impurities and trace elements (ITEs) can significantly influence graphite morphology and the overall cast iron quality. The purpose of this study is to investigate the occurrence and variation of ITEs in pig iron to assess the quality from a compositional perspective, with emphasis on elements contributing to carbide formation. Pig iron samples from three industrial foundries were analyzed using a handheld X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), with complementary Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) employed for microstructural and morphological assessment. The results revealed clear compositional differences between the foundries, including variations in S content, total impurity levels and concentrations of carbide forming and flake promoting elements. One foundry consistently exhibited lower impurity levels, suggesting higher pig iron quality. These findings highlight the importance of compositional control when producing cast irons, especially compacted graphite iron (CGI) and nodular cast iron. (Less)
Popular Abstract
Cast iron is widely used in products such as cooking pans, engine components, and construction materials. The quality of cast iron depends strongly on the composition of the pig iron used as a raw material. Even small amounts of impurities and trace elements can influence how the material solidifies and what microstructures form, which in turn affects its mechanical properties and machinability.

In this study, pig iron samples from three industrial foundries were analyzed to investigate variations in impurity and trace element content. The results showed clear differences in composition between the foundries, particularly in elements related to carbide formation and graphite morphology. One of the foundries consistently exhibited lower... (More)
Cast iron is widely used in products such as cooking pans, engine components, and construction materials. The quality of cast iron depends strongly on the composition of the pig iron used as a raw material. Even small amounts of impurities and trace elements can influence how the material solidifies and what microstructures form, which in turn affects its mechanical properties and machinability.

In this study, pig iron samples from three industrial foundries were analyzed to investigate variations in impurity and trace element content. The results showed clear differences in composition between the foundries, particularly in elements related to carbide formation and graphite morphology. One of the foundries consistently exhibited lower impurity levels, indicating higher pig iron quality. These findings highlight the importance of controlling the chemical composition of pig iron to ensure reliable and efficient cast iron production. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Panai Ersbo, Rowaida LU
supervisor
organization
course
MMTL02 20252
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
feedstock material, cast iron, pig iron, compositional analysis
language
English
id
9223412
alternative location
https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:EU:22e13511-9592-4fca-a97a-924c20afd1ef
date added to LUP
2026-03-12 10:29:18
date last changed
2026-03-12 10:29:18
@misc{9223412,
  abstract     = {{Pig iron is a key material in cast iron production where impurities and trace elements (ITEs) can significantly influence graphite morphology and the overall cast iron quality. The purpose of this study is to investigate the occurrence and variation of ITEs in pig iron to assess the quality from a compositional perspective, with emphasis on elements contributing to carbide formation. Pig iron samples from three industrial foundries were analyzed using a handheld X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), with complementary Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) employed for microstructural and morphological assessment. The results revealed clear compositional differences between the foundries, including variations in S content, total impurity levels and concentrations of carbide forming and flake promoting elements. One foundry consistently exhibited lower impurity levels, suggesting higher pig iron quality. These findings highlight the importance of compositional control when producing cast irons, especially compacted graphite iron (CGI) and nodular cast iron.}},
  author       = {{Panai Ersbo, Rowaida}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Compositional Analysis of Feedstock Materials for Cast Iron Production}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}