The application of pressure as a technique for obtaining dense and mechanically strengthen materials has been investigated from the structural aspect by the use of X-Ray Powder Diffraction (XRPD) and Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM).Keywords: cobalt, pressure, stacking faults
IntroductionCold pressing, also known as cold sintering (GUTMANAS et al. 1984), is a metallurgical process for the production of materials with high mechanical properties. It has been established that the lower temperatures of consolidation may provide more possibilities for the utilization of properties of powders obtained by rapid solidification technologies (COHEN; GUTMANAS). Opposite to, conventional or hot sintering, that is carried out at relatively high temperatures (T>T m /2, when T m is the temperature of the melting point), the term cold sintering indicates dominant influence of pressing pressure at room temperature. It has been shown that the plastic flow of powder particles influenced by high pressure, as one of the main mechanisms of powder consolidation during cold pressing, leads to high density and physical contacts. Also, the bonding of particles, due to exchange of electrons between activated atoms at the particle surfaces, occurs at room temperature (GERMAN). As the later process, also, occurs during hot sintering, pressing can be considered, in essence, as cold sintering (SAMSONOV).The cold pressing of metal, alloy and ceramic powders has been investigated mostly from a phenomenological point of view (JAMES; BROESE VAN GROENOU; BALSHIN et al.; NOTIS et al). However, that has only formal significance if the changes at the structural level are not being studied, because a plastic flow of materials has an important influence on the structure defects formation. Still, in the literature, cold pressing of various powders is mainly characterized by changes of porosity and the size and shape of particles (GUTMANAS et al. 1979;ARSENTYEVA et al.;AGATONOVIC et al.). Having as its main goal a characterization of this process at the more intrinsic structural level, this study deals with the research of the changes of microstructural parameters in consequence of cold pressing of cobalt powder. In correspondence with that, the average crystallite sizes and shapes, crystal lattice distortions (microstrains) and dislocation densities have been evaluated by the use of X-Ray Powder Diffraction (XRPD) and Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) measurements.
ExperimentalCobalt powder of 99.8% purity (Eurotungstene 86026) with an average agglomerate size of 40-50µm and an average size of individual particles of 5.5µm was reduced by heating in