Abstract
	The aim of this work is to quantify of the effect of carbon coating and carbon admixing on the compressibility of Astaloy CrL powder and on its specific compressibility. A set of test specimen 12x10 mm was uniaxially pressed in a hardened steel die. Zinc stearate in acetone solution was used as wall lubricant. The green compacts were weighed with an accuracy of ?0.001 g. The dimensions were measured with a micrometer calliper (?0.01 mm). Compaction pressures ranged from 50 MPa up to 600 MPa. Considering the densification of metal powders in a uniaxial compaction, the compressibility equation has been used: . Where P is porosity achieved at an applied pressure p; Po is apparent porosity calculated from the value of experimentally estimated apparent density; p is applied pressure; K is a parameter related to particle morphology; n is a parameter related to activity of powders to densification by the plastic deformation. Compressibility parameters were calculated by linear regression analysis using the linear form of equation. The development of the values Kp and np with the pressing pressure p enables to characterise the effect of particles geometry and matrix plasticity on the compaction process. In order to achieve a higher plasticity, carbon coating has to be preferred to carbon admixing; the coating has also a positive effect on the compaction behavior of Astaloy CrL powders.