EFFECT OF LUBRICANT DECOMPOSITION, LUBRICANTS, LUBRICANT CONTENTS, COMPACTION PRESSURE, AND HEATING RATE ON SINTERED DENSITY AND HARDNESS OF HOGANAS ASC IRON POWDER DEWAXED SINTERED COMPACTS

The influence of the decomposition of the Zinc stearate, Acrowax and Nopcowax lubricants at various lubricant contents compaction pressure and heating rate keeping temperature and sintering time constant on sintered density and hardness of Hoganas ASC Iron powder compacts. Sintered density decreased with the increase in lubricant content and for the given lubricant contents the sintered density increased as the compaction pressure increased. The decreasing behaviour was increased with the increase in lubricant content and it was true for all of the lubricant.  Hardness of the sintered compacts increased as the compaction pressure increased at constant w/o of the lubricant irrespective of the lubricant, whereas the optimum result achieved between 0.6 to 0.8 w/o of the lubricant content. Low heating rate resulted in better sintered density and hardness. However zinc stearate was found to be best lubricant at all of the compaction pressure and heating rate. The maximum hardness was obtained at heating rate of 150°C/min2