Abstract: This paper deals with an important role of silicon in producing ductile iron with quenched complex structure of bainite and martensite. The samples are cast in permanent mold and quenched in solution of sodium silicate. The result of thc experiments shows that the austenizing temperature should rise with increasing silicon content, otherwise much undissolved ferrite is present in the matrix after quenching. However the undissolvec ferrite can be decreased greatly or even eliminated by adding appropriate amount of ooron. On this condition, the amount of bainite gets increasing and the amount of residual austenite decreasing with the silicon cortent increasing. An approach has also been made to the mechanism of the effect of silicon on the transformation of bainite in ductile iron. The T.T.T. curves measured show that the increase of sllicon content causes the curve to shift to the left. This is quite different from the fact in steel.

Key words: ductile iron, silicon content, bainite, martensite