Plasma sintering of unalloyed iron: a study of surface porosity

Samples of unalloyed iron powder were compacted and sintered in an abnormal glow discharge, generated in a gas mixture of 80% Ar + 20% H2 by using a pulsed power source. The samples were placed on a holder, acting as the discharge cathode, and were heated by the bombardment of ions, strongly accelerated in the cathode sheath. Sintering was performed at temperatures of 1173, 1273 and 1373 K for 30 min, varying the voltage applied to the cathode from 400 to 700 V and pressure ranging from 470 to 2650 Pa. It is shown that the kinetic energy of ions striking the sample surface increased approximat...