Fabrication of 13Cr-2Mo Ferritic/Martensitic Oxide-Dispersion-Strengthened Steel Components by Mechanical Alloying and Spark-Plasma Sintering

The outcomes of the mechanical alloying of 13Cr-2Mo ferritic/martensitic steel and yttria (oxide-dispersion-strengthened steel) powders in a ball mill are reported in terms of the powder particle size and morphology evolution. The optimal ball mill rotation speed and the milling time are discussed. The densification kinetics of the mechanically alloyed powder during the process of spark-plasma sintering is analyzed. An optimal set of the compaction processing parameters, including the maximum temperature, the dwell time, and the heating rate, is determined. The specifics of the densification are discussed in terms of the impact of major spark-plasma sintering parameters as well as the possible phase transformations occurring during compaction processing.