POWDER-METALLURGY AT KIMM, KOREA

The powder metallurgy group at the Korea institute of Machinery and Ma terials (KIMM) was established in 1981 and has grown steadily in both manpower and in terms of research activities. In the 1980's, major act ivities involved developing sintered components for automobiles and ma chinery for the Korean industries. In the 1990's, more emphasis has be en given to advanced powder metallurgy materials and processing. The m ain stream of the research work currently being conducted is: material synthesis by atomization, thermochemical processing, melt spinning, m echanical alloying, self propagating high temperature synthesis, proce ssing by forging, rolling and swaging, hot isostatic pressing, hot pre ssing and extrusion. These are applied in the processing of advanced m aterials such as nanostructured tool materials, intermetallic compound s, high strength aluminum alloys and high temperature superconducting materials. Most of the research programs are conducted jointly with in dustries or universities; KIMM has played a central role in enhancing and broadening powder metallurgy technologies and fostering emerging t echnologies for Korean industry.