Sintering behavior of elemental powders with FeB addition in the composition of martensitic stainless steel

The effect of sintering additive for the development of high-strength martensitic stainless steel from elemental powders was studied. The sintering parameters investigated were: sintering temperature, sintering time, and wt.% of FeB. In vacuum sintering, effective sintering took place between 1300 and 1350 degrees C with 1-1.5 wt.% FeB addition. The maximum sintered density and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) were achieved after sintering at 1350 degrees C for 60 min with 1 wt.% FeB. Secondary pores were observed in samples containing more than 1.5 wt.% FeB sintered at 1350 degrees C for 60 min. More than 1.5 wt.% FeB content and temperature above 1350 degrees C caused slumping of the specimens. Maximum UTS of 505 MPa was achieved with 1 wt.% FeB content. Above 0.5 wt.% FeB content, maximum increase in density was observed. Fracture morphologies of the sintered samples are reported.