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Abstract
Pure iron ingot, ferrochromium pellets, nickel balls, and silicon wafer were melted and refined in an induction furnace. The resultant 304L stainless steel melt was atomised into fine particulates by high pressure water jets. It was found that the oxygen content of the atomised steel powder could be controlled through the adjustment of the material and processing factors. The two major factors were the Si + Mn content of the melt and the method of addition of silicon wafer during melting. The thickness of the surface oxide layer and the internal oxygen content decreased with decreasing bulk oxygen content of the atomised 304L powder. The oxygen concentration in the interior was lower by a factor of 10–14 than that in the surface layer of the powder particles. The oxidation film formed on the surface of particles irrespective of the extent of oxidation of the atomised 304L powder. PM/0617