Nanocrystalline Fe samples have been produced by inert gas condensatio
n and warm compaction with a new consolidation device. The new consoli
dation device was designed and built to reduce the processing defect p
opulation inherent in samples produced ill an earlier device and to mi
nimize contamination. The Vickers microhardness of nanocrystalline Fe,
while still strongly dependent upon porosity, is 3 to 7 times the mic
rohardness of coarse-grained Fe.