Microstructures and hardness of model niobium-based chromium-rich cast alloys

Niobium is a candidate base for new alloys devoted to applications at especially elevated temperatures. Elaborating and shaping niobium-based alloys by conventional foundry may lead to mechanically interesting microstructures. In this work a series of charges constituted of pure elements were subjected to high frequency induction melting in cold crucible to try obtaining cast highly refractory Nb-xCr and Nb-xCr-0.4 wt.%C alloys (x=27, 34 and 37 wt.%). Melting and solidification were successfully achieved. The as-cast microstructures of the obtained alloys were characterized by electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction and their hardness were specified by Vickers macro-indentation. The obtained as-cast microstructures are composed of a body centered cubic (bcc) niobium dendritic matrix and of an interdendritic eutectic compound involving the bcc Nb phase and a NbCr2 Laves phase. The obtained alloys are hard to cut and particularly brittle at room temperature. Hardness is of a high level (higher than 600Hv) and is directly driven by the chromium content or the amount of {bcc Nb – NbCr2} eutectic compound. Adding 0.4 wt.% of carbon did not lead to carbides but tends to increase hardness.