Microstructure and Microhardness of ZrO2 Reinforced PM 316L Austenitic Stainless Steel Composites Sintered in Ambient and Argon Atmosphere
Mahaboob Patel1, R Muthu Vaidyanathan2, N Sivaraman3, Tsegaye Alemayehu4, Mebratu Markos5
1Mahaboob Patel*, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Wolaita Sodo University, Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia.
2R. Muthu Vaidyanathan, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Wolaita Sodo University, Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia.
3N. Sivaraman, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Wolaita Sodo University, Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia.
4Tsegaye Alemayehu, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Wolaita Sodo University, Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia.
5Mebratu Markos, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Wolaita Sodo University, Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia.
Manuscript received on July 20, 2019. | Revised Manuscript received on August 10, 2019. | Manuscript published on August 30, 2019. | PP: 38-42 | Volume-8 Issue-6, August 2019. | Retrieval Number: E7412068519/2019©BEIESP | DOI: 10.35940/ijeat.E7412.088619
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© The Authors. Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Publication (BEIESP). This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Abstract: The present study examines the microstructure and microhardness of zirconia (ZrO2) reinforced PM 316L austenitic stainless steel matrix composites. ZrO2 was added in a proportion of 1 wt% to 3 wt%. Powders were compacted into a disc of 11mm diameter and 2mm thick at 70kN. Compacts were sintered in an ambient and argon atmosphere at 1250oC for 30 minutes. Sintered compacts were then analyzed for microhardness using Vickers hardness testing machine, and microstructure was examined using a scanning electron microscope. The study revealed that the reinforcement of ZrO2 significantly enhanced the microhardness of PM 316L SS matrix composites with a microstructure consisting of irregular porosity and zirconia encapsulating the 316L SS particles.
Keywords: Microstructure, Microhardness, Powder Metallurgy, 316L Austenitic Stainless Steel Composites.