International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering

Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, Volume 2, Issue 8, August 2012)

Effect of Sintering Temperature on Density, Porosity and

Hardness of a Powder Metallurgy Component
Goutam Dutta1, Dr. Dipankar Bose2
1
M. Tech in Manufacturing Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technical Teachers’
Training and Research (NITTTR), Salt Lake City, Kolkata: 700 106, India.
2
Professor of Mechanical Engineering Department, National Institute of Technical Teachers’ Training and Research
(NITTTR), Salt Lake City, Kolkata: 700 106, India.
Abstract - The residual porosity is an unavoidable
phenomenon of the components produced by powder
metallurgy process which in turn largely affects the strength
property of the same. Now a day it is possible to control
porosity of powder metallurgy components and retain them to
desired amount when required. The porosity of a powder
metallurgy component is greatly depends on the sintering
temperature. In this study the porosity variation of a powder
metallurgy component with respect to its sintering
temperature is explored where the fractional porosity of the
powder metallurgy component is being derived from the
sinter density and also observed the hardness variation of the
same with respect to sintering temperature.
Keywords - Density, Hardness, Porosity, Powder
Metallurgy, Sintering Temperature.
I. INTRODUCTION
The residual porosity is unavoidable and is almost
always present in powder metallurgy components and it has
undesirable effects on mechanical properties of the same.
The presence of porosity which acts as a stress raiser has
much greater influence on the elongation, impact and
fatigue strengths and a rapid increase in these is obtained
with the density approaching the theoretical value [2]. Now
a day it is possible to control porosity of powder metallurgy
components and retain them to desired amount when
required. Such tailoring of properties and accurate shaping
of products are great asset of powder metallurgy process
and these have enabled large scale assembly line
production of parts meeting stringent property needs [1].
II. THEORY
Porosity refers to the open volume in a powder
metallurgy component after sintering. It is very difficult to
produce powder metallurgy component without porosity
even after sintering. Sometime porosity is deliberately
engineered into the component to satisfy certain
requirement as in filters and bearings.
Porosity can be classified into open and closed
porosities.
In closed porosity, the individual pores are isolated
within the material while interconnected pores represent a
network of pores that are connected with one another and
to the external surface of the component [1]. The total
porosity () present in the sintered component may be
evaluated from the following relation [1].
 = 1 – (p / s) ------------------------ (2.1)
Where,  = Fractional porosity of powder metallurgy
component.
p = Density of the sintered component.
s = Density of the solid material.
Density of sintered component (p) may be evaluated by
the following relation:
p = (Mp / Vp) --------------------------- (2.2)
Where, Mp = Mass of sintered component.
Vp = Volume of sintered component.
Density of solid material (s) which is an alloy may be
evaluated by the following relation:
s =  (i . xi) ------------------------------ (2.3)
Where, i = Density of the individual alloying element.
xi = Mass fraction of the individual alloying element
present in the alloy.
III. OBJECTIVE
An experimental approach has been made to study the
porosity variation of a powder metallurgy component with
respect to its sintering temperature where the fractional
porosity of the powder metallurgy component is being
derived from the sinter density and also observed the
hardness variation of the same with respect to sintering
temperature.

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 International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering
Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, Volume 2, Issue 8, August 2012)
IV. SAMPLE PREPARATION Sintered density (p) and total fractional porosity () of
A typical alloy cutting tool material having composition samples are being evaluated by using the equation: (2.2) &
C-2.14%, Ti-2.00%, Cr-4.50%, Co-10.50%, W-19.50% and (2.1) respectively. Density of solid alloy cutting tool
Fe-61.36 % is being selected for preparing the samples material (s) has been evaluated by using equation: (2.3)
through powder metallurgy process.[5][6] Weighing of where density of C, Ti, Cr, Co, W, Fe and Zinc Stearate has
individual powdered alloying ingredient has been carried been taken 2.25, 4.50, 7.75, 8.86, 19.25, 7.86 and 0.18
out in a Digital Balance and mix together with proper gm/cm3 respectively. [3]
weight proportion where Zinc Stearate powder has been
added as lubricant at proportion of 1% of total weight of VI. EXPERIMENTATION RESULTS
the mixture. Ball Milling Mixing Method has been adopted
to prepare the homogeneous mixture of powdered materials
conforming the proposed composition. Then (12.2mm x
12.2mm) square cross sectional inserts [Fig.1] and
(12mm) cylindrical pins [Fig.2] are prepared by single
ended cold compaction with suitable die punch set at a
pressure of 650 MPa in a 10 Ton capacity UTM and
sintered or pre-sintered at 750C, 1000C and 1250C
respectively with vacuum 10-2 torr in a Vacuum
Furnace.[5][6] After each sintering or pre-sintering each
samples are grinded to desired shape with the help of a
Tool and Cutter Grinder.

Figure 3: Variation of Mean density, Total Fractional Porosity and

Hardness of Samples (Pins & Inserts) with respect to Sintering
Temperature.
Table 1
Figure 1: Photograph of Inserts Prepared by Powder Metallurgy Mean Density of Pins at Different Sintering Temperature.
Process
Pins after Pins after Pins after
Details Sintering at Sintering at Sintering at
750C 1000C 1250C

Mean Density
5.221 5.433 5.825
(p) in gm/cm3

The Density of solid alloy cutting tool material (s) has

been found 9.87 gm/cm3.
Figure 2: Photograph of Pins Prepared by Powder Metallurgy Process
Table 2
Total Fractional Porosity of Pins at Different Sintering Temperature.
V. EXPERIMENTATION
Pins after Pins after Pins after
After each sintering or pre-sintering followed by
Details Sintering at Sintering at Sintering at
finishing process, the detailed dimensions of each sample 750C 1000C 1250C
has been measured with the help of Vernier Caliper and
Tool Makers Microscope for evaluate volume of the same. Total Fractional
Simultaneously the mass and hardness of each sample are 0.4710 0.4495 0.4098
Porosity ()
also being measured with the help of Digital Balance and
Rockwell Hardness Testing Machine respectively.
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 International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering
Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, Volume 2, Issue 8, August 2012)
Table 3 D. It has also been observed that, there having a
Mean Hardness (HRC) of Inserts at Different Sintering significant difference in Hardness (HRC), measured on
Temperature.
Surface: 1 & Surface: 2 of Inserts. Mean Hardness of
Inserts Inserts Inserts Surface: 2 having higher value than that of Surface: 1,
after after after which is mainly due to the reasons of preparing the
Details
Sintering Sintering Sintering Inserts by Single Ended Compaction and non uniform
at 750C at 1000C at 1250C porosity distribution through out the volume of powder
metallurgy component. (Refer to figure: 3, table 3 &
Surface: 1 16.94 32.00 56.88
Mean reference: [1] chapter-5 & 7)
HRC
Surface: 2 22.81 35.00 62.50 REFERENCES
[1 ] Angelo P.C. “Powder Metallurgy: Science, Technology and
Applications”, © 2008 by Prentice-Hall of India Privet Limited,
VII. CONCLUSIONS New Delhi: 110001.
A. The total fractional porosity () of pins prepared [2 ] Sinha A.K. “Powder Metallurgy”, © 2003 Dhanpat Rai Publications
(P) Ltd., 67/4, Madras House, Daryagang, New Delhi: 110002.
through powder metallurgy process is decreasing with
[3 ] Smith William F., “Foundation of Materials Science and
the increase in sintering temperature. (Refer to figure: Engineering” (Second Edition), © 1993 by McGraw-Hill, Inc.
3 & table: 2) [4 ] Sudhakar B., “An Analytic Study of Porosity Evolution in Powder
B. Mean Density (p) of pins prepared through powder Metallurgy Forming Process”, © 1993 IEEE.
metallurgy process is increasing with the increase in [5 ] Dutta Banik Bibhas, the M-Tech. Thesis on “Production of Fe-W-
Sintering Temperature. It is mainly due to the decrease Co-Cr-C Alloy Cutting Tool through Powder Metallurgy Route and
in total fractional porosity of the sample with the Determination Its Suitability”, NITTTR, Kolkata, in the year 2010.
increase in sintering temperature. (Refer to figure 3, [6 ] Jha Bikash Kumar, the M-Tech. Thesis on “Tribological Testing of
Fe-W-Co-Cr-Ti-C Alloy Used As Cutting Tool Prepared Through
table: 1 & reference: [1] chapter: 7) Powder Metallurgy”, NITTTR, Kolkata, in the year 2011.
C. Mean Hardness (HRC) of Inserts prepared through
powder metallurgy process is increasing with the
increase in Sintering Temperature. It is also due to the
decrease in total fractional porosity of the sample with
the increase in sintering temperature. (Refer to figure:
3, table: 3, & reference [1] Chapter-7)

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