FABRICATION AND PROPERTIES OF T42 SINTERED PART USING SPARK PLASMA SINTERING

Abstract

High speed steels T42 were used as cutting tools and wear parts, due to their high strength, wear resistance, hardness together with appreciable toughness and fatigue resistance. The spark plasma sintering (SPS), which is a pressure assisted pulsed direct current sintering technique, is employed to consolidate powders of very different natures. T42 HSS powders were sintered by Spark Plasma Sintering at various temperatures and holding times. In the case of sintering, optimum specimen was obtained by sintered at 1000 degrees C for 25 min, heated at vacuum at 1210 degrees C, and then oil-quenched. The oil-quenched specimen was tempered at 560 degrees C, which has homogeneous carbides distribution and carbides precipitation. Also, the highest hardness of 760 Hv can be obtained in this study.