Sustainable Hybrid Alloyed PM Steels

The use of recyclable, non-toxic and non-critical alloying elements has become increasingly important in the last years. In particular, the volatile prices of Ni and Cu, and the increasing demand for these elements from the electromobility sector can eventually boost the prices, eliminating the price-competitiveness advantage of PM-steels. This work shows the newest advances in the investigation of PM-steels produced from more sustainable base powder alternatives (such as Astaloy CrS), combined with Fe-Mn-Si-based masteralloys (i.e. a hybrid-alloy approach). Chemical analysis, CCT diagrams and mechanical properties are presented for steels with different hybrid compositions, sintered and heat-treated under different conditions. The results show how, by properly adapting the starting materials and sintering conditions, and by combination with sinter hardening treatments, the use of more sustainable alloy compositions could be extended to additional PM application areas.