PRODUCTION OF BRONZE-COATED STEEL COMPOSITE POWDERS

A new method for producing bronze-coated steel composite powders was d eveloped. The process involves the agglomeration of a mixture of Cu an d Sn fine powders on spherical steel inner cores, a partial sintering of the agglomerate coating in hydrogen at 775 degrees C for 15min and finally the melting of this coating on the cores during free falling o f the particles through a high temperature vertical furnace. Fabricati on conditions, process efficiency and characteristics of the composite powders are discussed. The resulting bronze-coated steel composite pa rticles have a spherical shape with a uniform coating and could be use d for making filters.