The Fe-22wt.%Cr-6wt.%Al foams were fabricated via the powder alloying process in this study. The structural characteristics, microstructure, and mechanical properties of Fe-Cr-Al foams with different average pore sizes were investigated. Result of the structural analysis shows that the average pore sizes were measured as 474 μm (450 foam) and 1220 μm (1200 foam). Regardless of the pore size, Fe-Cr-Al foams had a Weaire-Phelan bubble structure, and α-ferrite was the major constituent phase. Tensile and compressive tests were conducted with an initial strain rate of 10−3 /s. Tensile yield strengths were 3.4 MPa (450 foam) and 1.4 MPa (1200 foam). Note that the total elongation of 1200 foam was higher than that of 450 foam. Furthermore, their compressive yield strengths were 2.5 MPa (450 foam) and 1.1 MPa (1200 foam), respectively. Different compressive deformation behaviors according to the pore sizes of the Fe-Cr-Al foams were characterized: strain hardening for the 450 foam and constant flow stress after a slight stress drop for the 1200 foam. The effect of structural characteristics on the mechanical properties was also discussed.

An optimum route to fabricate oxide dispersion strengthened ferritic superalloy with desired microstructure was investigated. Two methods of high energy ball milling or polymeric additive solution route for developing a uniform dispersion of Y2O3 particles in Fe-Cr-Al-Ti alloy powders were compared on the basis of the resulting microstructures. Microstructural observation revealed that the crystalline size of Fe decreased with increases in milling time, to values of about 15-20 nm, and that an FeCr alloy phase was formed. SEM and TEM analyses of the alloy powders fabricated by solution route using yttrium nitrate and polyvinyl alcohol showed that the nano-sized Y-oxide particles were well distributed in the Fe based alloy powders. The prepared powders were sintered at 1000 and 1100 oC for 30 min in vacuum. The sintered specimen with heat treatment before spark plasma sintering at 1100 oC showed a more homogeneous microstructure. In the case of sintering at 1100 oC, the alloys exhibited densified microstructure and the formation of large reaction phases due to oxidation of Al.

The porous metals are known as relatively excellent characteristic such as large surface area, light, lower heat capacity, high toughness and permeability. The Fe-Cr-Al alloys have high corrosion resistance, heat resistance and chemical stability for high temperature applications. And then many researches are developed the Fe-Cr-Al porous metals for exhaust gas filter, hydrogen reformer catalyst support and chemical filter. In this study, the Fe-Cr-Al porous metals are developed with Fe-22Cr-6Al(wt) powder using powder compaction method. The mean size of Fe-22Cr-6Al(wt) powders is about 42.69 μm. In order to control pore size and porosity, Fe-Cr-Al powders are sintered at 1200~1450oC and different sintering maintenance as 1~4 hours. The powders are pressed on disk shapes of 3 mm thickness using uniaxial press machine and sintered in high vacuum condition. The pore properties are evaluated using capillary flow porometer. As sintering temperature increased, relative density is increased from 73% to 96% and porosity, pore size are decreased from 27 to 3.3%, from 3.1 to 1.8 μm respectively. When the sintering time is increased, the relative density is also increased from 76.5% to 84.7% and porosity, pore size are decreased from 23.5% to 15.3%, from 2.7 to 2.08 μm respectively.

Fe-Cr-Al powder porous metal was manufactured by using new electro-spray process. First, ultra-finefecralloy powders were produced by using the submerged electric wire explosion process. Evenly distributed colloid(0.05~0.5% powders) was dispersed on Polyurethane foam through the electro-spray process. And then degreasing andsintering processes were conduced. In order to examine the effect of cell size (200 µm, 450 µm, 500 µm) in process,pre-samples were sintered for two hours at temperature of 1450˚C, in H₂ atmospheres. A 24-hour thermo gravimetricanalysis test was conducted at 1000˚C in a 79% N₂ + 21% O₂ to investigate the high temperature oxidation behavior ofpowder porous metal. The results of the high temperature oxidation tests showed that oxidation resistance increased withincreasing cell size. In the 200 µm porous metal with a thinner strut and larger specific surface area, the depletion ofthe stabilizing elements such as Al and Cr occurred more quickly during the high-temperature oxidation compared withthe 450, 500 µm porous metals.

A new manufacturing process of Fe-Cr-Al powder porous metal was attempted. First, ultra-fine fecralloy powders were produced by using the submerged electric wire explosion process. Evenly distributed colloid (0.05~0.5% powders) was dispersed on PU (Polyurethane) foam through the electrospray process. And then degreasing and sintering processes were conduced. In order to examine the effect of sintering temperature in process, pre-samples were sintered for two hours at temperatures of , , , and , respectively, in atmospheres. A 24-hour TGA (thermo gravimetric analysis) test was conducted at in a 79% +21% to investigate the high temperature oxidation behavior of powder porous metal. The results of the high temperature oxidation tests showed that oxidation resistance increased with increasing sintering temperature (2.57% oxidation weight gain at sintered specimen). The high temperature oxidation mechanism of newly manufactured Fe-Cr-Al powder porous metal was also discussed.

Mechanical alloying using high-energy ball mill and subsequent spark plasma sintering (SPS) process was applied to Al-Fe-Cr and Al-Fe-Mo powder mixture to investigate effects of Cr and Mo addition on thermal stability of Al-Fe, and thereby to enhance its thermal stability up to . Various analytical techniques including micro-Vickers hardness test, SEM, TEM, X-ray diffractometry and corrosion test were carried out. It was found that addition of Cr and Mo to Al-Fe system played a role of grain growth inhibitor of matrix Al and some precipitates such as during SPS and subsequent heat treatment. The inhibition of grain growth resulted in increased Vickers hardness and thermal stability up to comparing to those of Al-Fe alloy system.

Fe-28%Al(Fe3Al)과 Fe-28%Al-4%Cr(Fe3Al-4Cr) 금속간화합물을 대기중 1073, 1273, 1473k의 온도에서 최고 17일까지 장시간 산화시켰다. Fe3Al-4Cr의 산화저항은 근본적으로 Fe3Al과 거의 비슷하거나, 약간 우수하였다. Fe3Al 위에 형성된 산화물은 거의 순수한 α-AL2O3로만 구성되어 있었으며, Fe3Al-4Cr 위에 형성된 산화물은 약간의 Fe와 Cr 이온이 고용된 α-AL2O3로 구성되어 있었다. 외부산화막을 형성하기 위해 모재원소의 외부확산에 의해 산화물-모재 계면에는 Kirkendall 기공이 존재하였다. Fe3Al(-4Cr) 표면에 형성된 산화막은 1273k가지는 비교적 얇고 치밀하였으나, 1473k에서 산화막의 박리와 함께 상대적으로 큰 무게증가가 발생하였다.