Has anyone tried phosphated cast Iron

[agfrvf]

I have a nice stack of SAE G3000 that I'd like to use for a project. My foundry ony gets just 50*F above the melting point(2500). Phosphate can lower it down to 2100*F I want to pour a 1.5gal blockish shaped object. Any thoughts?

 

[agfrvf]

 

[MarkM]

Really out of my element but want to know more about cast iron. May I ask you then would the phosphates change any other properties of the cast iron other than it s boiling point to be a positive or negative. Is it used in industry or is it entirely experimental?

 

[RJSakowski]

Phosphate isn't the same as phosphorus. In the video, he is using ferro phosphorus which is really an alloy of iron and phosphorus. Pure phosphorus is highly reactive in air and will burn easily. Red phosphorus is used in matches. White phosphorus will auto ignite in air and is used for incendiary bombs and tracer rounds. Hence the reason for using the alloy.

Phosphates are oxidized phosphorous, when combined with calcium or magnesium, make great fertilizer. It is the P of the NPK values on the fertilizer bag. It was widely used in laundry detergents as well, less popular now due to the fertilizer effect of sewerage discharges. Phosphates would have no value as an alloying ingredient for cast iron.

 

[MarkM]

Thank you RJ

 

[john.k]

Phosphorous is beneficial in copper and bronze,but I ve only heard of it as an impurity in cast iron....How do you propose to incorporate the phosphorous in the iron?.........if you know how to do it,you ve got little to lose......A little more fuel burnt in your furnace might get the temp up enough......I know homemade furnaces with vacuum cleaner blowers that melt cast iron easily.,and yours looks professional.....so maybe a bigger blower and more fuel?

 

[pontiac428]

Hey, if you put enough phosphate in it, your iron will not rust! What type of project are you making with the foundry?

 

[agfrvf]

Ferro phosphate comes as an alloy in nuggets. See vid. I plan on making machine parts, plus its free. I have been toying with the idea of arc lancing it to hit pouring temp using a graphite lance.

 

[john.k]

I have done something similar...................arc cut cast iron for the pot ,and made sure it was red hot before going in the furnace.....i thought of using the arc torch for heating the iron,but the intense heat soon overcomes any gloves or jacket ,and you have to retreat before you go up in smoke.....To arc cut,you hold the carbon near the tip........a custom made conductive holder would work,I think,but it might have to be water cooled ....As you know,the heat keeps you well away...................by the way,conductivity also changes with heat,resistance increases,....Anyway ,an oil fired furnace has plenty of heat,and burns up waste oil,the arc torch needs diesel at $1.50 per liter here,and arc carbons arent cheap either.