Abstract
The factors affecting powder compact strength were investigated using potassium chloride and sodium chloride powders. These ionic crystals were studied in order to avoid the effect of impurity layer often formed on the surface of metal particle. The powders were sieved to 6 particle size ranges (25-550 μm) and compacted (0-500MPa). The following results were obtained:
1) Maximum compression strength of ionic powder compacts was approximately equal to that of a single crystal.
2) For the powders having the same particle size, compression strength was proportional to interparticle contact area which was calculated from powder compact density.
3) For the powder compacts having the same density, compression strength was inversely proportional to the square root of the particle size.
