Structure and properties of sintered iron–boron–carbon alloys with different carbon contents

Abstract

The structure and mechanical and tribotechnical properties of iron-boron-carbon alloys produced from a mixture of iron, boron carbide, and graphite powders by single pressing and sintering are used to examine heterophase wear-resistant materials containing from 0.8 to 2.4% boron and from 0.7 to 1.6% fixed carbon. The wear resistance of the materials depends on the ratios of boron and carbon in them and on their total content and substantially exceeds the wear resistance of ShKh15 steel chosen as a reference sample.Iron-carbon alloys are most commonly used structural powder materials since their production is relatively simple and the initial components are readily available [1,2]. To improve basic mechanical and operational properties of these alloys, they must be additionally doped.Boron carbide is a compound that has proved to be highly effective in doping sintered structural iron-based materials (especially in the manufacture of parts subjected to wear during operation) [3-9] and wear-resistant coatings [10][11][12][13][14].We have analyzed papers that focus on the production and properties of boron-containing powder materials for different purposes (including wear-resistant ones) that are made of iron powder mixtures with different contents of boron carbide and revealed that the structure and properties of these materials can be controlled not only through variation in their B 4 C content [7] but also through additional introduction of carbon into the initial charge [8], which leads to significant hardening of Fe-B 4 C materials.There have been no systematic studies of the tribological properties and structure of these materials. The only exception is the paper [5] that provides the wear characteristics of Fe + 3% B 4 C material; however, it is difficult to assess them appropriately as the paper includes no data on experimental conditions, in particular, loading and the counterface rotation speed and time.

Properties and Structure of Sintered Boron Containing Carbon Steels

“…Herewith, the significant capacities for manufacturing of low-alloy steels, which operational characteristic often are not inferior of the level of the same for steels, produced with application of traditional alloying modes, makes it possible the use of boron as basic alloying element (Dudrova, 1993;Gülsoy, 2004;Napara-Volgina, 2011;Suzuki, 2002). In our previous articles it has been demonstrated that boron addition to the base material is very efficient way for improving basic mechanical properties of sintered steels as well positive effect on activation of sintering was observed too.…”