Dimensional changes during sintering of manganese-carbon steel compacts.

Sintering behaviour in high purity hydrogen of Hoganas NC 100.24 iron powder with carbon and two different types of ferromanganese additions was investigated. The influence of different manganese contents (3.0 and 4.0 wt.-%), type of ferromanganese used (low and high carbon) and isothermal sintering temperature (1120, 1240 and 1300 degrees centigrade) on dimensional changes was investigated by dilatometry. It is shown that the dimensional changes occuring during heating and isothermal sintering and the final density of sintered compacts are influenced by manganese and carbon through their interactions with base iron. The results assist in the choice of industrial sintering conditions when the requirement is very small dimensional changes of compacts for a range of manganese and carbon contents.