Abstract
The work presents a possibility of fabrication of inexpensive iron-based powders intended to form the matrix in sintered diamond-impregnated tool components. In this study, a finely dispersed, pre-alloyed steel powder, containing over 95 wt.% Fe, has been designed and fabricated by means of a proprietary process developed at AGH-University of Science & Technology. It has been shown that the experimental powder can be consolidated to a closed porosity condition (>95% theoretical density) by pressure-less sintering at a temperature below 900 °C. The as-consolidated material is characterized by an excellent combination of hardness (~250 HV) and mechanical strength (>1200 MPa in 3-point bending) that meets the diamond tooling requirements. Its properties can be modified to some extent by varying the cold forming pressure and sintering temperature.
Highlights
IntroductionLow-alloy steel powders have been found useful in the manufacture of numerous high performance sintered parts
The results of the current study show that the newly developed and manufactured low-alloy steel powder can be effectively used for production of high-density parts by the conventional cold press/sinter route
Most commercial low-alloy steel powders require sintering at 1120 ◦ C, or higher, to reach the closed porosity level
Summary
Low-alloy steel powders have been found useful in the manufacture of numerous high performance sintered parts. Unlike structural materials, where sintering at 1120 ◦ C is acceptable and closed porosity is rarely a critical concern, near-full densification of diamond tool components at a markedly lower temperature is crucial for their performance. The hot pressing technology was primarily used in the diamond tool industry due to the ease of reaching virtually pore-free condition. Disadvantages of pressure assisted techniques are high cost and limited productivity. The conventional cold press/sinter route is rapidly gaining in popularity, especially in the fabrication of wire saw beads [1,2,3,4,5]
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