Improved Precssion of Iron-copper-carbon Materials
Copper is a common alloying element used in powder metallurgy (PM) materials to achieve improved mechanical strength and hardness. Different amounts of copper with course or fine particle sizes can be admixed with iron to achieve desired properties. However, the addition of copper has a great effect on the dimensional change of PM components. Variation in dimensions and large pores are often caused by copper segregation when the copper is admixed. One way to minimize this drawback is to diffusion-bond the copper to the iron particles with homogeneous distributions of copper. The diffusion-bonding method can help further improve the dimensional stability during sintering. This study introduced a newly developed copper diffusion bonded iron powder aiming for better dimensional control and stability. The mechanical properties and dimensional changes were examined compared to current copper diffusionbonded iron powder and admixed powder containing elemental copper.