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Iron powder is created through centrifugal disintegration or atomization of iron rods. Powder metallurgists use it for its design flexibility and control over porosity during sintering. It is often combined with other metals for alloying or special properties. Iron powder is used in sintering, magnetic products, brazing, and brake friction.
Iron powder is iron that has undergone a pulverization process, either by centrifugal disintegration or atomization. In addition to being cheaper than iron rods, iron powder allows powder metallurgists freedom in the design of iron castings, because the amount of pores can be controlled. Powdered iron is usually combined with other powdered metals to make this metal more suitable for alloying or to give iron special properties. Most of the iron powder is used in sintering, while the rest is used to make magnetic products, brazing materials and brake friction.
Iron is one of the most universally accessible metals and, before becoming iron powder, it starts out as bars or rods of metal. These rods or bars are sent through a process that pulverizes the iron. The most common process for pulverizing iron is centrifugal disintegration, in which thin iron rods are placed in a mandrel with an arc at one end. As the arc heats the iron, the spindle spins, creating a force that causes the rods to disintegrate. Atomization is a method in which a fine nozzle sprays molten iron and a jet of gas propels the iron stream, creating dust as the iron cools.
Engineers and metallurgists use powdered iron because it is cheaper, but also because powder metallurgists have more control over the design of iron when using powder. During the sintering process, when the powder is turned back into a solid by compression and heat, powder metallurgists are able to control how porous the iron is. This allows the metallurgist to shape iron for nearly any application with minimal effort.
When iron powder is made, it’s not always made on its own. Other materials, such as carbon, silicon, iron oxides or manganese, are sometimes added to the powder. These other materials help in alloying – such as carbon for steel making or iron oxide in making cast iron – or give the iron special properties. The addition of other metals depends on why the metallurgist uses the powdered iron.
The most common applications of iron powder are sintering and alloying with other metals, but powdered iron can be used in many other applications. Iron itself is very magnetic, and powdered iron is often used to make soft magnetic composites (SMCs), which are three-dimensional (3D) magnetic objects. Brazing, a high-temperature, vacuum method of joining metals, also uses powdered iron to help join parts together. Most vehicle, train and aircraft brakes are made using powdered iron in the friction device mix.
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