Effect of sintering temperature on the mechanical and physical properties of 316L stainless steel by powder injection molding process (PIM)

Powder injection molding (PIM) is a net shape process that is able to mass production the components of metals, ceramics and carbides, with intrinsic and complex shapes at lower cost compared with machining, casting and powder compaction. This paper presents effect of sintering temperature on the mechanical and physical properties of 316L Stainless steel. The feedstock was made from mixtures of a 20μm particle size powder and poly ethylene glycol-based as binder. The formed feedstock exhibited psedudoplastic flow and was successfully injection molded (green part). Green parts leached in water at 75℃ . Then they were simultaneously subjected to thermal debinding and sintering at 3 temperatures such 1200, 1300 and 1400℃ in hydrogen atmosphere for an hour and a half. After microstructure microscopic examination, it was found that the best behavior of sintering achieved at temperature of 1300℃. In this case, density of 94% TD obtained and the average hardness was 220HV. As the temperature rises to 1400℃, excessive grain growth occurred which results in the loss of mechanical and physical properties.