Synthesis and Characterization of ODS-304L Steels by Mechanical Alloying and Their Application in the Design and Analysis of Gearbox Systems for the Food Industry

Nano-oxide dispersed austenitic stainless steels exhibit superior mechanical strength, corrosion resistance, and durability, making them ideal for critical applications in the nuclear, chemical, and medical industries. This study focuses on synthesizing three alloys—base alloy A (70Fe-19Cr- 11Ni), alloy B (with 1.0 wt.% Y₂O₃), and alloy C (with 1.0 wt.% TiO₂)—via mechanical alloying followed by sintering at 1150°C for 1 hour in an argon atmosphere. XRD analysis revealed peak broadening with increased milling time (up to 40h), indicating grain refinement, while particle size decreased from 51.2 µm to 7.5 µm. SEM and EDS were used for microstructural analysis. The physical and mechanical properties of the sintered pellets were evaluated, with alloy C showing the highest density and microhardness (4.217 GPa), outperforming alloy A (2.628 GPa) and alloy B (4.033 GPa). Wear resistance followed a similar trend, confirming that nano-oxide dispersion, especially TiO₂, significantly enhances material properties—yielding over 1.5 times higher hardness compared to the base alloy.