Sintered abrasion resistant iron alloy having a homogeneous carbide network
It has heretofore been known to produce sintered iron alloy articles of high tensile strength utilizing a formulary, by weight as follows:0% - 6%      nickel0% - 4%      manganese0% - 1.5%    carbon in the form of graphite0.5% - 5%    copper0.01% - 0.4% boron 
     The remainder of the alloy is essentially iron with customary impurities, reference being made herein to the German published application No. 1,213,624. 
     More specifically, a preferred composition of the sintering powder consists of, by weight: 
     
                  2.4% nickel                                                      
         1%   copper                                                      
         1.6% manganese                                                   
         0.8% graphitic carbon                                            
         0.2% copper borate                                               
 
    
     The remainder being essentially iron with customary impurities. 
     The above composition produces a high tensile strength sintered iron alloy but not exceptional in abrasion resistance required for bearing surfaces. 
    
    
     The invention herein is a discovery that changing said composition produces a high abrasion resistance for a sintering powder composition. 
     The new composition, by weight percentage is as follows: 
     
                           nickel                                                  
         1%       copper                                                  
         2% - 2.4%                                                        
                  manganese                                               
         1% - 1.35%                                                       
                  graphite carbon                                         
         0.2%     copper borate                                           
 
    
     The remainder is essentially iron with customary impurities. 
     The preceding novel composition powder can be sintered into products such as raw materials for machine working or into articles, which have a uniform carbide network in a lamellated, perlitic base structure with interspersed residual austenite and martensite and such material or articles have a considerably enhanced resistance to abrasion as compared with those made of previously known compositions. It is believed that the carbon weight range of 1% to 1.35% in the composition effects the improvement. A higher carbon content could produce machining difficulties. 
     Insofar as the use of the novel sintering powder is concerned in a sintering process, it has been found that compression of the powder mixtures to 6.75 grams per cubic centimeter during sintering at a temperature of 1120° C for 25 minutes in an atmosphere of dissociated ammonia, enriched with propane produces the desired product. However, a metallic stearate is used as a lubricant during pelleting, in a furnace atmosphere regulated so that all combustion products of the lubricant decompose during the sintering and together with the composition of the atmosphere ensure minimum carbon decomposition in the alloy.