Impact of C, Cr, and Si in Mn-Based Master Alloys on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Low-Alloyed Sintered Steels

While Mn, Cr, and Si are widely used in ingot metallurgy, their use in the powder metallurgy (PM) industry is limited by their high affinity with O. In recent years, the use of these alloying elements in the form of master alloys (MA) has aroused interest due to their potential to substitute critical and widely used elements such as Cu or Ni for pressed and sintered automotive components. These alloying elements are aimed at providing sinterability and competitive mechanical properties to low-alloyed sintered steels. The MA route enables the effective introduction of these alloying elements during sintering while reducing their oxidation. This work studies the effect of C, Cr and Si content of three Mn-based master alloys on the as-sintered microstructure and mechanical properties of low-alloyed steels. The link between volume of liquid phase formed at sintering conditions and materials properties has been analysed.