Impact of Lubricant Content, Lubricant Removal, and Density on the Infiltration Process

摘要

The infiltration of powder metal compacts with copper is a widely accepted practice to improve properties and seal porosity in the final sintered component; however, as compaction technology continues to advance and higher green densities are produced, the understanding of the impact of the density and lubricant removal on the infiltration process becomes even more important to the infiltration process. The impact of the lubricant content, lubricant removal, compact density, and combined effects are evaluated and their respective impact on the infiltration process discussed. Evidence shows that at a low density the amount of copper picked up during infiltration is dependent on the lubricant content of the powder. As density increases, combined effects of both lubricant content and green density dictate the amount of copper picked up during infiltration. For high-density compacts, the amount of copper picked up during infiltration is dependent on the green density of the compact.