Papers by Author: Aamir Mukhtar

Abstract: Titanium alloy composites with titanium boride (TiB) discontinuous reinforcement have shown improved performance in terms of strength, stiffness, and hardness. Producing this composite through selective laser melting (SLM) can combine the advantages of freeform design with the ability to produce TiB reinforcement in-situ. In this study, SLM was used to consolidate a pre-alloyed Ti-6Al-4V (Ti64) and amorphous boron (B) powder mixture with the intent of producing 1.5wt% TiB reinforcement in a Ti64 matrix. The processing parameters of laser power and scanning speed were investigated for their effect on the density, microstructures, and hardness of the composite material. The results showed that the boron and Ti64 composite could achieve a density greater than 99.4%. Furthermore, it was found that processing parameters changed the microstructural features of the material. The higher the energy density employed the more homogenous the distribution of boron modified material. Macro features were also observed with laser paths being clearly evident in the subsurface microstructure. Micro-hardness testing and density measurement also showed a corresponding increase with increasing energy density. Maximum hardness of 392.4HV was achieved in the composite compared to 354.2HV in SLM fabricated Ti64.

Abstract: Gas atomized Ti-6Al-4V (Ti64) alloy powder was used to prepare distinct designed geometries with different properties by selective laser melting (SLM). Several heat treatments were investigated to find suitable processing parameters to strengthen (specially to harden) these parts for different applications. The results showed significant differences between tabulated results for heat treated billet Ti64 and SLM produced Ti64 parts, while certain mechanical properties of SLM Ti64 parts could be improved by different heat treatments using different processing parameters. Most heat treatments performed followed the trends of a reduction in tensile strength while improving ductility compared with untreated SLM Ti64 parts.Gas nitriding [GN] (diffusion-based thermo-chemical treatment) has been combined with a selected heat treatment for interstitial hardening. Heat treatment was performed below β-transus temperature using minimum flow of nitrogen gas with a controlled low pressure. The surface of the SLM produced Ti64 parts after gas nitriding showed TiN and Ti₂N phases (“compound layer”, XRD analysis) and α (N) – Ti diffusion zones as well as high values of micro-hardness as compared to untreated SLM produced Ti64 parts. The microhardness profiles on cross section of the gas nitrided SLM produced samples gave information about the i) microhardness behaviour of the material, and ii) thickness of the nitrided layer, which was investigated using energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and x-ray elemental analysis. Tensile properties of the gas nitrided Ti64 bars produced by SLM under different conditions were also reported.

Abstract: Titanium alloys have a number of features which make them attractive for use in aerospace, marine and chemical engineering, biological engineering, etc., due to their advantage of low density, high strength, and excellent corrosion resistance and biocompatibility. In this paper, Ti-6Al-4V (Ti-64) rods were prepared by vacuum sintering titanium alloy powder compacts at 1300°C for 2h and then hot extruding the as-sintered Ti-64 alloy billets at 1150°C in air. The microstructure and property changes, after vacuum sintering and hot extrusion, were investigated. The results showed clear evidence of porosity and a coarse lamellar microstructure in as-sintered Ti-64 alloy billets. Tensile testing of as-sintered material gave yield strength, ultimate tensile strength and ductility values of 850MPa, 985MPa and 2%, respectively. After extrusion at 1150°C, no obvious pores could be seen in the microstructure of as-extruded Ti-64 alloy rods and the lamellar microstructure was significantly refined, and the mechanical properties were significantly improved. The yield strength, ultimate tensile strength and the ductility reached 1130MPa, 1245MPa and 4.5%, respectively. Compared with the mechanical properties of Ti-64 alloy rod prepared by extruding a hot pressed Ti-64 alloy billet (1300°C for 5min, argon protective atmosphere) in air, the ductility of the Ti-64 alloy rod studied here is lower. The fracture characteristics of as-sintered and as-extruded Ti-64 alloy rods have also been investigated.

Abstract: Ultrafine grained Al-4wt%Cu-(2.5-10) vol.% SiC metal matrix composite powders were produced from a mixture of Al, Cu and SiC powders using high energy mechanical milling (HEMM). The composite powders produced were first hot pressed at 300°C with a pressure of 240 MPa to produce cylindrical powder compacts with a relative density in the range of 80-94% which decreased with increasing the SiC volume fraction. Powder compact forging was utilized to consolidate the powder compacts into nearly fully dense forged disks. With increasing the volume fraction of SiC from 2.5% to 10%, the average microhardness of the forged disks increased from 73HV to 162HV. The fracture strength of the forged disks increased from 225 to 412 MPa with increasing the volume fraction of SiC particles from 2.5 to 10%. The Al-4wt%Cu-2.5vol.%SiC forged disk did not show any macroscopic plastic yielding, while the Al-4wt%Cu-(7.5 and 10)vol.% SiC forged disk showed macroscopic plastic yielding with a small plastic strain to fracture (~1%).

Abstract: Nanostructured Cu-(2.5 and 5)vol.%Al2O3 composite powders were produced from a mixture of Cu powder and Al2O3 nanopowder using high energy mechanical milling, and then compacted by hot pressing. The Cu and Cu-Al2O3 composite powder compacts were then forged into disks at temperatures in the range of 500-800°C to consolidate the Cu and Cu-Al2O3 composite powders. Tensile testing of the specimens cut from the forged disks showed that the Cu forged disk had a good ductility (plastic strain to fracture: ~15%) and high yield strength of 320 MPa, and the Cu-(2.5 and 5)vol.%Al2O3 composite forged disks had a high fracture strength in range of 530-600 MPa, but low ductility.

Abstract: Cu-(2.5 or 5.0vol.%)Al2O3 nanocomposite balls and granules and Cu-(2.5vol.% or 5.0vol.%)Pb alloy powder were prepared by high energy mechanical milling (HEMM) of mixtures of Cu and either Al2O3 or Pb powders. It was observed that with the increase of the content of Al2O3 nanoparticles from 2.5vol.% to 5vol.% in the powder mixture, the product of HEMM changed from hollow balls into granules and the average grain size and microhardness changed from approximately 130nm and 185HV to 100nm and 224HV, respectively. On the other hand, HEMM of Cu–(2.5 or 5.0vol.%) Pb powder mixtures under the same milling conditions failed to consolidate the powder in-situ. Instead, it led to formation of nanostructured fine powders with an average grain size of less than 50nm. Energy dispersive X-ray mapping showed homogenous distribution of Pb in the powder particles in Cu–5vol.%Pb alloy powder produced after 12 hours of milling. With the increase of the Pb content from 2.5 to 5.0 vol.%, the average microhardness of the Cu-Pb alloy powder particles increases from 270 to 285 HV. The mechanisms of the effects are briefly discussed.