Wear resistance of in situ MMC produced by supersolidus liquid phase sintering (SLPS)

The resistance to abrasive wear can be effectively raised by hard particles embedded in a metal matrix. Powder metallurgy allows to admix larger particles than those precipitated from the matrix. To save costs ferrotitanium (FeTi) particles are admixed to a tool steel powder and are transformed in situ into titanium carbonitrides during compaction by supersolidus liquid phase sintering (SLPS) instead of hot isostatic pressing. Pin-on-abrasive paper-tests as well as scratch tests reveal an increase in wear resistance of in situ SLPS-metal-matrix-composites (MMC) over hot isostatic pressing (HIP)-MMC, which is linked to the large size of precipitated hard particles in the former. The application of these laboratory results is seen in reinforcing inserts of wear parts.