Lean Cr iron powders for obtaining high performance PM steel grades

Abstract

Ecological and economic demands are driving PM markets to incorporate less expensive, yet effective, alloying elements in iron based powders. To investigate their potential for this purpose recently developed sinter-hardening iron powders containing Cr and smaller amounts of Mo and Ni were industrially sintered at 1120 and at 1240°C under laboratory conditions. One set of samples, containing 0·8% graphite additions, was cooled so to obtain sinter-hardened steels. A second set of samples, containing 0·3% graphite, was cooled under normal conditions and subjected to a secondary carburising treatment. The microstructures and mechanical properties developed were compared.

This paper is based on a presentation at Euro PM 2011 organised by EPMA in Barcelona, Spain on 9–12 October 2011.