The Effect of Annealing on the Mechanical Properties of Iron-Stainless Steel Composites

In this study, stainless steel powder is mixed with commercially pure iron and cold sprayed on steel in order to produce a metal composite with controlled properties. For these composites, porosity is very low, and annealing at 600-1100°C for an hour reduces it further. Annealing also sinters interparticle interfaces, leading to vastly improved fracture properties. Fully annealed single-component stainless steel exhibits a much higher strength than annealed CP iron, but adding just 20% stainless steel to iron produces a composite with the same fully annealed strength as that of stainless steel.