OBSERVATIONS ON THE SINTERING OF COMPACTSFROM A MIXTURE OF IRON AND COPPER POWDERS

Abstract

AbstractThree grades of iron powder-an atomized steel powder, a sponge iron powder reduced from magnetite with carbon, and a powder reduced from mill scale with hydrogen were mixed with 3% of copper powder and pressed into compacts. The diametral dimensional changes of the compacts during sintering below and above the melting point of copper were measured, their microstructures examined, and both related to the characteristics of the powders, particularly their specific surface. During sintering below the melting point of copper, compacts of all three powders shrank. Micrographic examination showed that the copper is transported by solid-state diffusion along the surfacesand grain boundaries of the iron powder particles. During sintering above the melting point of copper, compacts of the atomized and the MH-100 sponge iron powders grew while those of the hydrogen reduced mill-scale powder shrank. This phenomenon is related to the different mode of penetration of liquid copper in the compacts from the thre...