Effect of microwave and field assisted sintering on the mechanical properties of Inconel 718 MIM samples

International audienceIn this investigation, three different ways of sintering Inconel 718 MIM samples are compared. The conventional way of sintering in a furnace will be compared to FAHP and microwave sintering. The difficulty of these two methods is to be able to control the shrinkage of the sample and so its shape. The sintered samples were all injected from a feedstock composed of a fine particle Inconel powder and a binder principally composed of CAB (cellulose acetate butyrate) and PEG (Polyethylene Glycol). They were debinded in water and put in a furnace. After the application of the different sintering processes, the effects on the microstructures and the mechanical properties are compared. There was no difference in distribution of pores between the conventional sintering and the FAHP sintering but FAHP samples showed better hardness. The microwave sintering of a MIM sample is more complex and the best properties were not obtained