Mechanomaking of high speed steel AISI M2 powders fabrication

High speed steel AISI M2 was obtained by high energy milling from the elemental powders. The kinetics of synthesis were followed by Mossbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. About 14 h are required to complete alloying (12 at.% solute content) of the matrix and formation of carbides (M6C and Fe3C) all having grain sizes below 20 nm. The mean particle size was 50 mu m and the individual particles were almost fully dense. Limited grain growth to < 100 nm at temperatures up to 1300 degrees C was observed. This new concept for the fabrication of alloys and materials is suggested to be termed mechanomaking. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.