Surface analysis of iron and steel nanopowder

• High sinter density is desired in powder metallurgy components as the requirement for performance is increasing day‐by‐day. One of the promising ways to achieve improved densification during sintering is through the addition of nanopowder to the conventional micrometer sized metal powder. It is well known that the surface chemistry of the powder has a decisive effect on sintering and consequently the properties of the components produced. Extensive research has hence been conducted to elucidate the surface chemistry and its influence on sintering for powder used in conventional powder metallurgy. Nanopowder, owing to high surface to volume ratio, can contribute to the activation of sintering at lower temperatures and enhance the sinter density. In this context, the surface chemistry of the nanopowder is also expected to exhibit substantial influence on sintering. The present investigation is aimed at establishing a methodology to study the surface chemistry and oxide thickness of nanopowder. For this purpose, iron nanopowder of 3 different size fractions: 35 to 45, 40 to 60, and 60 to 80 nm with core‐shell structure were studied. Different approaches were adopted to evaluate the shell thickness of the iron nanoparticles. The methodology was developed and tried on low alloy steel nanopowder to measure oxide thickness. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, and high‐resolution scanning electron microscopy techniques were used to study the nanopowder. Results from different core‐shell models for iron nanopowder were found to be consistent except in the case where depth profiling was taken into account. The results were in agreement with the values obtained from thermogavimetry‐surface area correlation.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Maskinteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Mechanical Engineering (hsv//eng)

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Materialteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Materials Engineering (hsv//eng)

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Materialteknik -- Bearbetnings-, yt- och fogningsteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Materials Engineering -- Manufacturing, Surface and Joining Technology (hsv//eng)

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Materialteknik -- Metallurgi och metalliska material (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Materials Engineering -- Metallurgy and Metallic Materials (hsv//eng)

Keyword

X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy

sintering

thermogravimetry

nanopowder

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

ref (subject category)