No abstract

No abstract

Traditionally, the common alloy elements for sintered steels have been Cu and Ni. With increasing requirements towards mechanical properties, and also as a consequence of soaring prices especially for these two metals, other alloy elements have also become more and more attractive for sintered steels, which make the steels however more tricky to process through PM. Here, the chances and risks of using in particular Cr and Mn alloy steels are discussed, considering the different alloying techniques viable in powder metallurgy, and it is shown that there are specific requirements in particular for sintering process. The critical importance of chemical reactions between the metal and the atmosphere is described, and it is shown that not only O2 and H2O but also H2 and even N2 can critically affect sintering and microstructural homogenization

A study of grain boundary diffusion of oxygen in hot-rolled steel sheets is carried out by means of time-of-flight secondary-ion-mass-spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). This involves polishing of the sample surface prior to the oxygen exposure. A nickel layer deposited after exposure ensures a homogeneous extraction field for ToF-SIMS measurements at the Ni-steel interface. The sample is bevelled at an angle of 11.5° to spread up the diffusion pathway by a factor of 5. The oxygen distribution is then acquired via ToF-SIMS in imaging mode from which diffusion parameters are calculated according to the Whipple-Le Claire's approach.

Molybdenum, chromium and manganese offer considerable potential as alloy elements in sintered steels, especially for PM precision parts used, for example, in automotive engines and transmissions. This holds in particular for recycling and health/safety aspects. Within this work, the influence of these elements as admixed alloy metals on the sintering behaviour and the properties of structural PM steels is discussed. The considerable differences in the homogenisation behaviour during sintering are described as well as the respective advantages and drawbacks. It is shown that for high density PM steels, Cr and Mo are better suited while for conventionally produced mass products Mn is attractive, its affinity to oxygen being less of a problem today than commonly assumed and since Mn addition promotes swelling, this element might be a replacement for Cu. For Mn, admixing is the more attractive route, for Cr, in contrast, prealloying offers advantages, while for Mo both alloying techniques are feasible.PM/1129