Thermodynamic simulation of 316L and 17-4PH stainless steels using different process conditions for two components metal injection moulding (2C-MIM)

Multi-metal functionally graded specimens have been proposed for a wide range of applications, as magnetic, non magnetic, wear resistance, high toughness, high hardness-high toughness and so on. The combination of different materials in the same part creates a weld-line at the interface, which represents a critical aspect to research. In this work, a thermodynamic study of the diffusion and phase formation close to the interface is performed for the combination of magnetic and non-magnetic stainless steels, 17-4PH and 316L, produced by Two Components Metal Injection Moulding (2C-MIM). The thermodynamic simulation software packages DICTRA and Thermo-Calc were used as a suitable tool to predict an element diffusion profile (Ni) and the phase diagrams. These characteristics were investigated during the sintering step of 2C-MIM parts, using different powder particle sizes as well as sintering conditions. The results of the simulation were compared to analytical results obtained by SEM/EDX.