We report on the mechanical and structural properties of nanocrystalline 8% and 10% mol yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) obtained using mechanical alloying (MA). The as-milled powders show a body-centered cubic structure with grain sizes in the nanometer scale. After uniaxial pressing and sintering the compacts exhibit good mechanical properties. We discuss the correlation of these enhanced properties with the microstructural changes induced by heat treatment.

This paper introduces a special spheroidizing technology at ultra-high temperature. The conventional cast tungsten carbide (YZ) is melted at high temperature, rapidly cooled and spheroidized on a new ultra-high temperature spheroidizing equipment to prepare various grades WSC powders.

This paper presents a study of large grains by transmission electron microscopy in two WC-Co alloys, one W rich and one C rich. In the W rich alloy, some large grains are found in contact with the phase. The C content influences the morphology of large grains: they are flatter in the C rich alloy with smoother interfaces. Whatever the C content, they contain few dislocations compared to matrix grains except often in a small area. Small WC grains are often found inside the large grains. They have likely been engulfed during the growth of the large grains owing to the low boundary energy.

Recently the Marangoni convention is supposed to be an important phenomenon that significantly affects the solidification. For understanding the Marangoni convection mechanism, visualizing the convention phenomenon of molten tin with ultrasonic has been conducted. This paper reports developing a tracer material of micro metal balloon that is used in the molten system. We have succeeded in coating the surface of Shirasu-ballons with nickel by plating process. The obtained metal balloon is spherical and some characterizations were conducted.

This work presents mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of duplex stainless steels obtained through powder metallurgy starting from austenitic, martensitic powders by controlled addition of alloying elements in the right quantity to obtain the chemical composition of the structure similar to biphasic one. In the mixes preparations the Schaffler's diagram was taken into consideration. Prepared mixes of powders have been sintered in a vacuum furnace with argon backfilling. After sintering rapid cooling was applied using nitrogen. Corrosion properties have been studied through electrochemical methods in 1M NaCl.

This study was conducted to improve the durability and decrease the friction of the sintered bushing used in the joints of construction equipment. Research was carried out to examine the effects of the groove pattern on the inner surface. The following results were obtained: (1) The bushing (EK Bush) with grooves on the inner diameter showed increased durability as compared to a non-grooved bushing. (2) The helical-grooved bushing showed the least amount of wear; it was １/10 of the wear of the non-grooved bushing. (3) If the distance between grooves was decreased, then the coefficient of friction also decreased.

The use of the nickel free, high nitrogen stainless steel powder and nitriding during sintering of iron based materials have been shown as an alternative way to the conventional PM stainless steels containing nickel. Nitrogen as an alloying element for iron improves in an effective way the properties of sintered alloyed steels. The powder metallurgy route is a suitable way to introduce nitrogen into these alloys and, in particular, to produce high nitrogen (close to the solubility limit) stainless steels. The paper presents and discusses the nitriding behavior of nickel-free stainless steels produced by powder metallurgy method. Alloyed melt was atomized by nitrogen and in this way nitrogen was introduced into the powder. Further nitriding occurred during sintering in a nitrogen atmosphere. For comparison, compacts having the same composition as an alloyed powder were produced from elemental powders mixture. Sintering-nitriding behaviour of investigated materials has been controlled by dilatometry, chemical and X-Ray phase analysis and metallography. Mechanical properties of sintered compacts were also measured.

The present study investigates the behavior of the sintering and hardness of stainless steel samples reinforced with NbC and TaC. Matrixes of pure stainless steel were compacted with addition of up to 3% wt NbC or TaC in a cylindrical die of steel at 700 MPa and sintered in an electrical resistance furnace under argon atmosphere. The sintered samples were characterized by density and hardness measurement, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The preliminary results show that the size and distribution of carbides influence in the sintering and hardness of the sintered samples.

Nanostructured Alumina - 20 vol% 3YSZ composites powder were synthesized by wet-milling technique. The starting materials were a mixture of Alumina micro-powder and 3YSZ nano-powders. Nano-crystalline grains were obtained after 24 h milling time. The nano-structured powder compacts were then processed to full density at different temperatures by high-frequency induction heat sintering (HFIHS). Effects of temperature on the mechanical and microstructure properties have been studied. composites with higher mechanical properties and small grain size were successfully developed at relatively low temperatures through this technique.

The process of coprecipitation of biocomposite hydroxyapatite/chitosan from aqueous solution at low temperature in alkali environnement was examined. We have shown that initially we have the formation of amorphous octocalcium phosphates and the transferring from OCP to amorphous calcium phosphate , and then from TCP to calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite and hydroxyapatite . The transformation of ACP to HAP was inhibited in the presence of chitosan. The result suggests that there is an affinity binding between ACP and chitosan and subsequently blocking the active growth site of ACP.

Sintered materials have been applied widely in Valve Seat Inserts (VSI). The demands for VSIs are not only good heat and wear resistance but also good machinability. The sintered materials, which are made of a mixture of manganese containing iron powder and certain types of sulfide powder, have superior machinability due to precipitation of the fine MnS particles in the matrix. This report introduces a new VSI material, which has both superior machinability, and wear resistance due to applies of this "MnS precipitation" technique.

Sintered materials have been applied widely in Valve Seat Inserts (VSI). The amount of wear on VSIs increases when used in gas (LPG, CNG) engines because of their dry environments. In this paper, two newly developed high performance VSI materials for gas engines are introduced. These materials applied new techniques, which are both high performance hard particle and new distribution method of solid lubricant, to increase wear resistance.