Effect of Carbon Addition on the Microstructure and Properties of M3:2 High Speed Steels Processed by Powder Metallurgy

M3:2 high speed steels with and without carbon addition were prepared by using powder metallurgy at sintering temperature between 1210 and 1280 °C. Densification, microstructure and mechanical properties of M3:2 high speed steels were investigated. Experimental results show that with 0.4wt% carbon addition, full density high speed steels were obtained at temperatures in the range 1240-1260 °C which is 40 °C lower than that of the undoped counterparts, leading to a sintering window expanded by 10 to 20 °C. By the addition of 0.4wt% carbon, the sintered steels show attractive combinations of bend strength and hardness over those of M3:2 steels without carbon addition. The results reveal that the addition of carbon will not only lower the sintering temperature and oxygen content, but also improve the mechanical properties of the sintered steels.