A characteristic feature of the solution of carbon in iron during the initial stage of sintering of iron-graphite composites

Abstract

In the manufac tu re of i r o n g r a p h i t e compos i t e pa r t s by the powder m e t a l l u r g y technique the s i n t e r ing opera t ion usua l ly l a s t s from 40 to 120 min, a pe r iod of t ime enabling al l p r o c e s s e s to become s t ab i l i zed and ensur ing that the r e su l t an t s t r u c t u r e of the m a t e r i a l is c o m p a r a t i v e l y s tab le . In con t r a s t to th is , hot p r e s s i n g and p a r t i c u l a r l y dynamic hot p r e s s i n g and a lso analogous p r o c e s s e s such as the forging of s i n t e r ed blanks a r e of much s h o r t e r durat ion. Here the so lub i l i ty of carbon becomes a m a t t e r of cons ide rab le i m p o r tance .