The authors formerly reported the results of experiments on the fundamentals of the manufacturing process and the properties of the sintered chromium steel in the system Fe-Cr-C.
In order to investigate the effect of alloying element on certain properties of sintered chromium steel, 1 and 3 wt% of four representative alloying elements, i.e. Ni, Mn, Mo and Si were added to sintered chromiun steel (Fe-Cr-C) made from σ-phase powder, which, in the previous experiment, had being found to be best for adding Cr. Ferro-alloy powders were used as sources of Mn, Mo, Si and carbonyl powder as Ni. Mixtures of iron powder, σ-phase powder, alloying element-containing powder and carbon powder were compacted at 5 t/cm
2, presintered for 1 hr at 750°C and sintered for 1 hr at 1250°C. The results obtained are as follows.
(1) In the Fe-1.5% Cr-0.5% C system, the sintered densities were from 7.2 to 7.55g/cm
3.The microstructures, except those to which 3%Mn had been added, were homogenized ferritic and pearlitic. Addition of the alloying elements increased the tensile strength of the sintered compacts. The strengthening effect of the alloying elements was in the order of Si, Mn, Mo and Ni, in good agreement with that of the solid-solution strengthning of ferrite. The microstructures containing 3% Mn was martensitic.
(2) In the Fe-5.0% Cr-0.5% C system, the sintered densities were from 7.25 to 7.50g/cm
3, with their microstructures, except those to which Si had been added, being homogenized martensitic and bainite. The tensile strength of the sintered compact showed 121 and 132kg/mm
2 for 1 and 3g%Ni additions respectively. The microstructures of the specimens containing Si were ferritic and pearlitic.
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