<p> Powder Metallurgy (P/M) offers a very efficient method to produce high volume, high throughput steel parts. The two most important property issues affecting P/M steels are: (I) possessing high mechanical properties despite having inherent internal porosity; (2) maintaining very tight dimensional tolerances during processing (sintering). Researchers are continually looking at
ways to improve these two properties while keeping costs down. As in wrought and cast steels, in most applications P/M steels are alloyed; in P/M processing, alloys are typically added to Fe + C powder mixes as elemental powders. The entire mix of Fe+ C +elemental alloying additives are then consolidated under high pressure and sintered at high temperatures to strengthen the
compact. The current work deals mainly with the the most commonly used alloying additives in P/M steels, Ni and Cu. </p> <p> While it is well-known that Ni and Cu do indeed improve the mechanical performance of steels
and do affect the dimensional change of P/M parts in specific ways, for over 50 years the same standard Ni and Cu powders have been used in the industry. With new breakthroughs in the production of extra-fine metal powders (- 1-2 urn) P/M researchers now must examine the effect of particle size of alloying additions on the performance of sintered steels. Prior to the current
work, significant documented work investigating the effect of particle size of Ni and Cu on the performance of P/M steels was very limited. </p> <p> The current work examined: (I) Ni powder particle size effects in P/M Ni steels;
(2) Ni powder particle size effects in P/M Ni-Cu steels; (3) Ni and Cu powder particle size effects in P/M Ni-Cu-Mo steels. </p> <p> Specific focus was on determining the effects of particle sizes on the dimensional control and
mechanical peformance of P/M steels. With both Ni and Cu, the finer the powder addition the better the dimensional control and mechanical performance of the steels. In steels containing both Ni and Cu, finer Ni also improved the distribution and diffusion of Cu. This suggested that there was a significant interaction between Ni and Cu during sintering which could be tailored to improve properties. The effect of changing Ni particle size on overall steel properties was significantly greater than the effect of changing Cu particle size. </p> <p> Mechanistic analyses via optical microscopy, SEM-EDX and E-SEM investigation, dilatometry, and differential thermal analysis were carried out to explain the results. Mathematical models were also developed to show the effect of Ni and Cu particle size on diffusion into the Fe matrix during sintering. </p> / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:mcmaster.ca/oai:macsphere.mcmaster.ca:11375/21754 |
| Date | 09 1900 |
| Creators | Singh, Taj |
| Contributors | Wilkinson, D. S., Materials Engineering |
| Source Sets | McMaster University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
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