SINTERING OF METAL POWDER COMPACTS CONTAINING CERAMIC OXIDES

Abstract

The dimensional change during sintering of cobalt and nickel powders containing an oxide dispersion has been studied. Generally, the presence of MgO or CaO in cobalt and nickel retards the densification of the metals, and this retarding influence has a maximum for a certain proportion of oxide in the metal. The wettability between the dispersed phase and the metal may explain differences in sintering behaviour.     

POSSIBLE FAST-REACTOR CANNING MATERIAL STRENGTHENED AND STABILIZED BY DISPERSION

Abstract

The high-temperature irradiation embrittlement of steels and nickel alloys is probably due to helium precipitation in grain boundaries. It would be desirable to retain the helium as fine bubbles evenly distributed within the grains. A fine dispersion in the metal matrix may act as nucleation site for helium bubbles and it is proposed to produce by powder-metallurgy techniques afine dispersion of a ceramic oxide in a steel matrix. Ferritic chromium steel was chosen because it is known to be less susceptible to embrittlement than austenitic alloys and in this case the oxide dispersion must also improve the high-temperature mechanical properties.

Methods of preparation are discussed and results of preliminary tensile tests performed on iron containing alumina, magnesia, and titania dispersions indicate the feasibility of the proposed solution.     

INFLUENCE OF THIN OXIDE FILMS ON THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF SINTERED METAL-POWDER COMPACTS

Abstract

The influence of thin oxide films, in the range 200–1200Å thick, on the mechanical properties of sintered iron, copper, and nickel powder compacts has been investigated. As the thickness of the oxide film on the metal powders increased, the properties studied, namely, densification parameter, hardness, and tensile strength improved and attained a maximum at a critical oxide-film thickness, the value of which was ～ 625 Å for iron and nickel and ～ 500 Å for copper. Further increase in thickness to ～ 1200 Å led to a gradual decline in the properties. The improvement in the properties obtained with powders having the optimum oxide thickness was independent of the sintering atmosphere. A probable explanation in terms of activated sintering is given.     

A REVIEW OF SINTERED METAL BEARINGS: THEIR PRODUCTION,PROPERTIES, AND PERFORMANCE

Abstract

Five classes of sinter-based bearings are identified: steel-backed materials with compacted non-porous sintered linings for engine bearings and wrapped bushes; steel-backed materials with porous sintered linings impregnated with a plastic, intended for operation dry or with sparse lubrication; unbacked porous sintered-metal parts impregnated with oil to form self-lubricating bearings; unbacked non-porous sintered metal parts incorporating graphite; sintered polytetrafluoroethylene parts incorporating powdered metals. Methods of manufacture are outlined.

Techniques of bearing evaluation are described, the most useful being sophisticated, flexible test-rigs which approach closely the conditions of actual bearing applications.

The relative fatigue strengths of sintered engine-bearing linings are given and sintered copper-lead is shown to be equivalent in fatigue strength to cast linings.

The impregnation of sintered bronze linings with PTFE and lead yields a material with good un lubricated wear-resistance. The effect of load, rubbing speed, and other variables is described. A polyacetal lining bonded to a steel backing via a porous bronze interlayer gives a bearing material with good performance under conditions of sparse lubrication.

The relative merits of oil-impregnated porous metal bearings obtained by the pressing and sintering of copper, iron, or aluminium alloy powders are described. For optimum performance the bearing conditions should favour the formation of a hydrodynamic film of oil over the bearing surface.

The incorporation of graphite into fully compacted powder-metallurgy parts gives improved wear-resistance under dry and sparsely lubricated rubbing conditions.

PTFE parts incorporating metal powders can be moulded to finished size by powder-metallurgy techniques.     

THE PROPERTIES OF POROUS NICKEL PRODUCED BY PRESSING AND SINTERING

Abstract

The effects of compacting pressure and of sintering temperature and time on the properties of porous sintered nickel compacts have been studied, using three carbonyl and two reduced nickel powders. For all five powders, the density of the green compacts and the porosity of the sintered compacts were linearly related to the log compacting pressure. Similar relationships with pressure were observed for strength and electrical conductivity.

Photomicrographs of sections through the sintered compacts made from the reduced nickel powders show that there are pores in two different size ranges, originating from the porosity between the original powder particles and the pores within the particles. It is concluded that sintered compacts from all five powders containing 40–50% porosity have adequate strength and conductivity for use in fuel-cell electrodes.     

Synthesis of ultrafine WC/Co powder by mechanochemical process

Abstract

A new approach to produce ultrafine WC/Co powder by a mechanochemical process was made to improve the mechanical properties of advanced hardmetals and to cut production costs. For powder preparation, the water soluble salts containing W and Co components were used as starting materials. After synthesis of the precursor powder from an aqueous solution by a spray drying technique, a salt removing heat treatment in air atmosphere was carried out to prepare the oxide powder. The oxide powder was mixed with carbon black by ball milling and this mixture was converted at 800^oC to the nanophase WC/Co powder in H₂ and N₂ atmospheres. The average size of the WC particle was 100-150 nm. The possibility of achieving high density sintered material with an ultrafine and homogeneous microstructure using grain growth inhibitors, such as tantalum and vanadium carbides, has been shown.     

DIMENSIONAL CHANGES OF SINTERED Fe-Ni,Fe-Cu,Fe-Ni-Cu ALLOYS

Abstract

Sintered alloys of the Fe-Ni, Fe-Cu, and Fe-Ni-Cu systems have been investigated by using single-pressing, double-pressing and hot-forging techniques. Different iron powders containing 0-6 wt.-% nickel or 0-5 wt.-% copper, also (for the ternary system) 0-5 wt.-% of both nickel and copper, were compacted and sintered and the effect of the additions on dimensional changes was studied. The influence of particlesize, compacting pressure, sintering temperatures, and furnace type on dimensions has been determined.     

EFFECTS OF PROCESSING AND POWDER CHARACTERISTICS ON THE WEAR AND FRICTION PROPERTIES OF SOME NICKEL-BASE MATERIALS

Abstract

Pure nickel and nickel-based binary and ternary materials containing tungsten carbide and graphite dispersions have been studied. Three types of carbide powder and six types of graphite, different in size, shape, and structure (one in each group being nickel-coated) were studied to varying degrees. The smallest carbide powder (0·35 μm) possessed the best wear-resistance and the lowest coefficient of friction. The larger and coated types of graphite are somewhat superior; however, considerable amounts (～ 40 vol.-%) are needed to improve wear-resistance substantially and reduce the coefficient. Use of the coated type of carbide leads to rather high coefficients (0·58-0·76) under dry testing conditions. Several effects of the presence of a small amount of oxygen in the sintering atmosphere are discussed; a most interesting result is the marked improvement in the wear-resistance of pure nickel treated to produce a dispersion of nickel oxide. With some powders blending can lead to reduced wear-resistance, while with others increasing the blending time has no effect. Several of the findings confirm the interpretation of the results of the previous study regarding the dependence of wear on the ratio of the volume fraction of tungsten carbide to that of graphite, based on microstructural considerations. Wear-resistance cannot be correlated with high hardness.     

SYNTHESIS OF COPPER METAL/SALTS FROM COPPER BLEED SOLUTION OF A COPPER PLANT

Copper bleed solution (CBS) generated during the electrorefining of anode copper contains 40 g/L Cu, 10–20 g/L Ni, and 170–200 g/L H₂SO₄, along with other impurities in different quantities. In order to get the valuable metals from this CBS, studies have been carried out to crystallize and recover metal salts on bench scale with/without partial decopperization from the point of view of reuse and the recycling of the sulphate salts and the acid recovered back to the system. Studies showed the possibility of recovering copper sulphate salt without affecting its purity with respect to nickel by controlling the extent of evaporation. In an alternative approach, a part of copper metal of purity 99.85% produced during partial decopperization of copper from 39.8 to 9.64 g/L Cu without affecting the current efficiency at a current density of 100 A/m². Subsequently, mixed salt containing 9.80% Cu and 13.19% Ni has also been produced from the partially decopperized solution. The mixed salt could be processed for metal recovery by solvent extraction. The mother and wash liquor could be recycled in the electrorefining plant for acid and copper make-up.     

CONTINUOUS COMPACTION BY CYCLIC PRESSING

Abstract

A process recently developed produces wide, thick bars of unlimited length from powder, granular, or sponge raw materials by a cyclic pressing operation. The process can be adapted readily for laboratory study or for large-scale production.

Many materials have been pressed by this technique, and in all cases compaction was similar to that experienced in conventional pressing. Work on the pressing, sintering, and subsequent working of various nickel powders and of a nickel-iron-molybdenum magnetic alloy has been carried out. Carbonyl nickel powder produces nickel strip of high quality. A high-permeability alloy containing nickel 79, iron 17, and molybdenum 4% can be made into strip with good magnetic properties by compacting the powders with the cyclic-pressing technique and then sintering and rolling the pressed bar into strip.     

IRON-COPPER-TIN SINTERED COMPACTS

Abstract

A wide range of copper and tin powder additions to iron powder sintered compacts hasbeen studied. From mechanical-property tests it has been shown that when using sinteririg temperatures of 900–1100°C in nitrogen/10% hydrogen atmospheres there is an optimum copper: tin ratio of 15:2. The mechanical properties obtained from compacts pressed from iron mixed with 4% copper+tin in this ratio and sintered at 900°C were similar to those obtained from iron ?l0% copper powder compacts sintered at 1100°C. Moreover, the iron-copper-tin components showed improved dimensional accuracy.

In a further series of experiments, it was shown that tin additions to iron-copper alloy compacts increased the solubility of iron in the liquid phase at the sintering temperature and simultaneously decreased the rate of diffusion of copper into the iron particles. At the same time, tin improved the wettability of the liquid, reducing its surface tension and allowing it to disperse more completely throughout the matrix. The mechanical properties of compacts containing larger amounts of tin were decreased by the presence of brittle compounds, although the sintering rate was increased. It is concluded that the optimum properties of iron-copper-tin compacts are obtained by making correct additions of copper and tin to the iron powder and giving careful consideration to the sintering atmosphere.     

SOME PROPERTIES OF TIN PREPARED FROM TIN POWDER BY EXTRUSION

Abstract

Tin containing a fine dispersion of oxide has been prepared by the extrusion of atomized tin powder into rod. The oxide dispersion was stable up to ≮ 200°C and its presence influenced the grain growth of the tin. The hardness and tensile-strength values of the extruded tin powder were about twice those of cast tin and were independent of the oxide content of the powder within the range 0·2-1·5 wt.-%. This indicated that the dispersion of the oxide, governed by the particle size of the powder, was of more importance than the thickness of the oxide films.

Stress-to-rupture tests at 150°C showed the material made from powder to be markedly superior to either unalloyed tin or a tin–6% antimony alloy. The best Eltress-to-rupture properties were obtained in dispersion-hardened material heat-treated to give a fibrous structure of relatively large grains, elongated in the extrusion direction. Possible applications of dispersion-hardened tin are briefly considered.     

AN APPRAISAL OF PORE AND GRAIN-SIZE EVOLUTION IN SINTERED BODIES

Abstract

An attempt is made to analyse mathematically current theories of primary and secondary grain growth in sintered bodies, when pores act as grain-growth inhibitors. It is confirmed that the mechanism recently proposed by Kuczynski is quite possible, but in the light of existing knowledge such a mechanism should lead to a temporary suppression and subsequent resumption of primary recrystallization, rather than to primary and secondary recrystallization. The fact that primary and secondary recrystallization differ phenomenologically is emphasized and a strict similarity between impure crystalline metals and porous sintered bodies is suggested. This view is in good agreement with data recently obtained on uranium oxide.     

REDUCTION AND SINTERING OF SLIP-CAST IRON-OXIDE/COPPER-OXIDE MIXTURES

Abstract

Experiments are described on the preparation of sintered iron bodies by slip casting iron oxide, followed by reduction and sintering. It is shown that it is possible to produce iron parts of different shapes and sizes by a single reduction + sintering treatment. The introduction of copper by adding copper oxide to the iron oxide overcomes certain drawbacks and improves the properties of the final product.     

METHODS OF EXTENDING THE APPLICABILITY OF SINTERED STEELS

Abstract

It is a common opinion among users of structural parts that applications for sintered steels are limited to those where requirements for strength are low to moderate. Furthermore, sintered steels of moderate strength are thought to be very brittle. It is the object of this paper to draw attention to significant improvements which have been achieved in the last few years. These are basically a result of powder developments which are based partly on traditional alloying additions, such as Cu, Ni, Mo, and C, and partly on unique combinations of iron powders and phosphorus or on combinations of iron powders, phosphorus, carbon, and/or copper. Unusually favourable combinations of strength and ductility can be achieved with diffusion-alloys based on iron and phosphorus. Components of high-duty sintered steels capable of replacing components of conventional wrought steels can be produced from partially prealloyed combinations of iron, copper, nickel, molybdenum, and carbon. For many applications these materials can also be an alternative to powder-forged steels. All the above powder combinations show consistent and low dimensional changes during sintering so that close tolerances of intricately shaped components can be maintained. Material and processing costs are such that the improved properties can be achieved economically.     

Pore structure of sintered niobium after reaction with hydrogen and nitrogen

Abstract

Compact structures obtained by vacuum sintering of niobium powder are widely used in electronic engineering as metal plates in oxide semiconductor capacitors, which realise electrical capacity in an Nb anodic, Nb₂O₅ solid state MnO₂ electrolyte metal dielectric semiconductor Nb–MDS system. This paper presents the method for stabilising porosity in these structures by using both Nb powder hydrogenation and nitriding of niobium hydride sintered pellets for their production. The effect obtained is explained in terms of the sintered powder porous structure.     

THE PREPARATION AND SOME PROPERTIES OF CHROMIC OXIDE-CHROMIUM CERMETS MADE BY PARTIAL REDUCTION OF THE OXIDE

Abstract

Compacts of chromic oxide/carbon mixtures have been sintered in vacuum to produce oxide-metal cermets. The effect of carbon addition, type of carbon, purity of oxide, compacting pressure, and sintering temperature on the green and sintered density has been studied, and this has been supplemented by tests of hardness and compressive strength.

Considerable densification can be attained by a small addition of carbon to the powder mixture, and this is accompanied by an increase in compressive strength to 20 tons/in², compared with 3 tons/in² for the pure oxide sintered to the same temperature.     

Production of ultra-thin porous metal paper by fibre space holder method

Abstract

The fibre space holder (FSH) method combines powder metallurgy and lost-foam casting with the aim of producing novel ultra-thin materials with micro-porous structures. A fabric, used as a spaceholder, is coated with metal powder (stainless steel, copper, nickel or titanium) in a water-soluble polymer binder. During sintering, the spaceholder is removed by a high temperature treatment to obtain the final porous metal sheet. This new material combines the advantages of fabric and porous metal. Its large specific surface area, minimum thickness of <30 μm, maximum porosity of >95% and strong liquid absorbency make it suitable for various application, in particular electrodes in hydrogen fuel cells and medical applications. The metal sheet can be further functionalised by coating with nanopowders.     

THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF SOME SINTERED MARAGING STEELS

Abstract

Maraging steels based on 18 and 12% nickel, and containing cobalt, molybdenum, silicon, copper, chromium, titanium, and aluminium in various proportions, were prepared in sintered form under varied processing conditions. The mechanical properties of the steels have been examined with particular reference to the effects of: (1) composition; (2) degree of shrinkage; (3) atmosphere, time, and temperature of sintering; and (4) compacting pressure. The influence of the type of iron-powder base was also studied.

The results demonstrate the possibility of producing, in the sintered and maraged condition and with only slight shrinkage on sintering, tensile strengths of the order of 95–110 kgf mm^?2 (60–70 tonf in^?2). Two compositions appear promising for further development as high-strength materials, and another to provide enhanced ductility. In all cases impact properties are similar to those characteristic of conventional sintered steels.