On the microstructure and mechanical properties of powder metallurgy iron-nickel alloys

Along appropriate mechanical properties, iron-nickel alloys are an attractive component because of their excellent physical properties such as high melting point, good thermal expansion coefficient, high permeability, superior oxidation and corrosion resistance at elevated temperature and excellent magnetic performance. In this article, three alloys of Ni0.7Fe0.3, Ni0.8Fe0.2 and Ni0.7Fe0.3 have been produced by powder metallurgy, subsequently each samples sintered at different temperatures of 1200 and 1250 and 1300 °C. Microstructural observations via optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated that all samples successfully sintered at all three temperatures. Thermal behavior and structural analysis of the samples were studied by Thermo galvanometer analysis (TGA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. Also, mechanical properties of the alloys investigated by the means of compressive tests, hardness measurement and wear test. The results of statistical methods show that Ni0.8Fe0.2 alloy sintered at temperatures 1250°C has the best compressive strength and hardness compared to other ones.