Effect of microadditions on the structure and properties of powder carbon steel

1.	Additions of alkali metals accelerate the diffusion of carbon in iron, particularly at low sintering temperatures, increase the carbon concentration of the steel, improve the strength properties at all temperatures studied, and produce a more uniform and stable structure.
2.	Increasing the amount of alkali metal produces some increase in strength if sodium or potassium are added, but no change if lithium is added. Increase in the diffusional mobility of carbon with increase in the amount of alkali metal added is not observed.

Belorussian Republic NPO for Powder Metallurgy. Translated from Metallovedenie i Termicheskaya Obrabotka Metallov, No. 1, pp. 37–39, January, 1991.