The Consolidation of Mechanically Ground Iron Powders by Electro Discharge Compaction

Abstract

An Electro Discharge Compaction (EDC) process was used to sinter iron powders mechanically ground (MG) by low energy ball milling. The sintered specimen preserved the grain size of MG powders. In the case of MG powders ground for 10hours, the grain size of the sintered specimen was about 50nm. This specimen exhibited, in the bend test, an yield strength about 1.4times larger than that of sintered non-ground powder.