PROPERTIES AND STRUCTURE OF HEAT TREATED COPPER-INFILTRATED SINTERED STEEL

The influence of different raw material iron powder,copper contents in matrix skeleton and different quenching temperatures on the density,hardness and transverse rupture strength of heat-treated copper-infiltrated steel was investigated. Results show that the sintered steel made of water atomized iron powder with small addition of copper and medium and high carbon after infiltration of copper and through quenching-cold treatment low temperature tempering has TRS of 1600MPa, hardness over HRC45 and density over 7.6g/cm³ with a structure of tempered martensite and copper phase. The fracture was mainly caused by the tearing of copper phase,showing a feature of ductile fracture.