Engineering Materials Characterization of PM Stainless Steels - Essay Example

Also the effect of temperature and the hardness effect on the steel produced from the mixture will be described with essential research material read over the course of the experiment ad its description (German, 1990) EFFECTS OF BORON IN STEEL Boron is a very useful element when used for alloying purposes in many materials but in the experiment it will be illustrated along with researched facts as an alloying element in steel because of its effect on harden-ability enhancement. Boron is added to unalloyed or low level alloyed steels to enhance the level of hardness of the alloy.

Boron steels are used as high-quality, heat-treatable construction steels, steels for carburization and forming cold steels such as steels for screws. The property change with the amount of boron added and the temperature affect will be discussed in detail in the paper (Adam, 2000) Boron also is known to activate liquid phase sintering and to reduce the sintering temperature that is needed a achieve a highly dense alloy metals (Raymond, 1994). The liquid phase arises from the existence of a low melting-point eutectic reaction that is produced by the reaction between the boron and the alloying element in the steel with the alloy is being constructed. . These small amounts may be sufficient enough to hardened the alloy with the correct heat treatment.

For understanding purpose the terms sintering or hardenability should be explained. Sintering or hardenabilty is a measure of how much martensite is formed at a given cooling rate in steel. The hardenabilty of steel is defined as the maximum diameter of a cylinder that has a microstructure that is 50% at its centre after quenching from the austinizing temperature (Reed, pp. 35). Effect of Temperature on the Mixture For the particular purpose of finding out the effect of the addition on boron in them mixture to form PM we need to go through some previous research work which has been done in this particular field.

The effects will be described as well proven graphically, which will be extracted from previous researches. Generally it is thought that the PM alloy of boron will have a finer finish and a better sintering value. For pressing on the previous fact we will see the effect of boron addition into the mixture ranging from Low levels of boron (0.1-0.15%) along with the increase in temperature. ANALYSIS As described above, pictorial reference will be used to explain the description to go along with it.

The figure will be color coded and self explanatory but for the purpose of understanding, extended elaboration has been provided. The figure shows the sintered density when the amount of boron is added from being non-existent to a level of 0.15. it is clearly visible that when the concentration of boron increases the sintered density increases. The sintered density is the factor that increases the hardenablity of the steel alloy. At 0% induction of boron in the alloy the sintered density