Papers by Author: Katsuyoshi Kondoh

Abstract: This paper aims to investigate effect of spark plasma sintering temperature on mechanical property of Ti + ZrO₂. The samples were prepared by SPS system with the different sintering temperature containing 900, 1,000, and 1,100 oC under the pressing pressure of 30 MPa in vacuum. The results show that hardness of Ti + 2 wt.% ZrO₂ alloy increases with increasing sintering temperature. The highest hardness was 363 HV while suitable temperature for sintering Ti + 2 wt.% ZrO₂ alloy was 1,100 oC. Further, the microstructure and crystal structure of all samples were single-α-phase structure with different in elements dispersion, which was related to amount of lattice expansion in the HCP structure.

Abstract: TiB whisker reinforced Ti alloy matrix (Ti–TiB) composites have attracted attention as the aerospace materials with their high specific mechanical properties for long time. However, strengthening mechanism of Ti–TiB composites has not been revealed because of the agglomeration and incomplete precipitation of TiB whiskers in the Ti alloy matrix yet. In this study, we addressed to fabricate fully-dense TiB whisker reinforced Ti-6Al-4V alloy matrix (Ti6Al4V–TiB) composites via powder metallurgical process, which have the microstructure to discuss their tensile properties with the theories for composite materials. The Young’s modulus and ultimate tensile strength of Ti6Al4V–10 vol% TiB composite were 130 GPa and 1193 MPa, respectively. Note that the elongation of Ti6Al4V–10 vol% TiB composite was approximately 2.8 % although the elongations of Ti–TiB composite have been reported are few (; less than 1%) due to the agglomeration of TiB whiskers in Ti matrix.

Abstract: Rice husk ash (RHA) is used as a replacement to cement to produce mortar. The effect of 5, 10, and 15wt% addition to the density and compressive strength of mortar is investigated. It was found that with the increasing addition of RHA causes the decrease of compressive strength and density of mortars. Compressive strength of mortar drops with addition of RHA, from a value of 42 MPa of no RHA addition, to 24 MPa of 15wt% RHA addition. Reduction in compression strength may be due to the decrease in density, which arises from porous RHA. This is more dominant in mortar made from addition of RHA without prior acid treated. Carbon residue and impurity in RHA further reduce the compressive strength of mortar. In addition, this research validate the use of a more environmentally friendly citric acid for partially removal of oxide impurities prior to burning the rice husk.

Abstract: In the present work, the strengthen mechanism of Ti-Si-N ternary alloys prepared by Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) was investigated. Ti, Si and TiN substrate powders were prepared in order to obtain nominal composition of Ti-0.35Si-1TiN and Ti-0.7Si-1TiN (wt %). Homogenization was performed before extrusion. Microstructure and phase identification were analyzed by Optical Microscope (OM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). In order to evaluate the mechanical properties of extruded specimens, micro hardness test and tensile test were carried out. The XRD results show that no Si and TiN particles are remained after SPS and no any reaction caused of intermetallic compound during heat treatment and extrusion processes. It is found that the abnormal phase with high N-content was observed in matrix phase. It is also obvious that increasing Si from 0.35Si to 0.7Si (wt %) can increase yield stress and ultimate tensile stress from 1006±15 to 1092±5 MPa and 1089±10 to 1170±10 MPa, respectively. Hence, the strengthening mechanism by addition Si content into Ti-1TiN (wt %) is only solid solution mechanism.

Abstract: Microstructural and mechanical properties of powder metallurgy (PM) with carbon nanotube (CNTs) dispersed copper (Cu) composites were investigated in detail. Pure copper powder was coated with un-bundled CNTs by using the zwitterionic surfactant solution containing CNTs. The powder rolling process was applied to increase the powder surface area to be coated with CNTs. The total rolling reduction of Cu-CNT composite powder by 5 steps rolling was about 75%. With increasing the number of rolling steps, the content of CNTs coated on the Cu powder surface increased because of the increment of the flat surface area of flaky Cu rolled powder. As a result, the CNT content was 0.67mass% after 5 steps powder rolling. It was about twice as that of as-coated Cu-CNT composite powder without rolling. The grain size of PM extruded Cu-CNT composite was about one fifth of that of the extruded monolithic Cu material without CNT. Yield stress of the extruded Cu-CNT composite via the rolling process was 192 MPa, which is about twice that of the extruded monolithic Cu material (88 MPa). CNTs distributed at primary particle boundaries were effective to prevent the grain coarsening by their pinning effects, and this grain refinement was the main strengthening factor of the Cu-CNT composite via rolling process.

Abstract: Dependence of the mechanical properties of PM extruded titanium with the silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) on solid phase decomposition of Si₃N₄ was investigated. Si₃N₄ particles within Ti composite powder were decomposed during spark plasma sintering at 1223 K with 30 MPa pressure for 3.6 ks; and then, decomposition by-products of nitrogen and silicon atoms were defused into titanium matrix. The extruded Ti-1.0 mass% Si₃N₄ composite showed ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 1139 MPa, and yield stress (0.2%YS) of 1065 MPa. UTS and 0.2%YS of P/M extruded Ti-1.0 mass% Si₃N₄ composite were 2 and 2.5 times compared to extruded pure Ti powder material, respectively. It was considered that the solid solution strengthening of both nitrogen and silicon originated from Si₃N₄ caused the high strength of PM extruded Ti-1.0 mass% Si₃N₄ composite.

Abstract: The high cost of titanium has historically prevented widespread use in military ground vehicles. Two strategies to make this material more cost effective and viable are to reduce the cost of titanium armors or to improve the ballistic performance of titanium and reduce the amount of material required. This paper investigates the latter strategy. Mixtures of titanium powders and TiO2 particles were employed as starting materials and consolidated by spark plasma sintering (SPS) and hot extrusion. The content of TiO2 particles was 0~1.5% of the mass mixture. Solidification of oxygen atoms (from TiO2 particles) into Ti matrix occurred at 1073K for 1800 seconds in a vacuum. Tensile testing showed that Tensile Strength (TS) and Yield Strength (YS) increased in proportion to TiO2 content but elongation decreased slightly with increased TiO2 content. Extruded pure Ti powder material with 1.5% TiO2 particles produced 1040 MPa TS, 902 MPa YS and 25.1% elongation when tested. When using Ti-6Al-4V (Ti-64) alloy powders with 0.5% TiO2 particles, the final extruded Ti-64 powder bars with oxygen solid solution showed 1226 MPa TS and 22.7% elongation. Initial ballistic evaluation showed the Ti-64 powder bars with 0.5% TiO2 particles yielded a marked improvement over the conventionally rolled Ti-64 alloy plate.

Abstract: Ti metal matrix composites (Ti–MMCs) reinforced by vapor grown carbon nanofiber (VGCF) and graphite particle (Gr) were prepared via powder metallurgy and hot extrusion. Ti with 0~0.4wt% VGCF/Gr mixture powders were consolidated by using spark plasma sintering (SPS) at 800 °C. Hot extrusion was then performed at 1000 °C with an extrusion ratio of 37:1. Microstructures and mechanical properties of the as-extruded Ti composites were investigated. Tensile strength of Ti–VGCF/Gr composites was steadily augmented when additions of VGCF/Gr were increased from 0.1 to 0.4 wt%. YS and UTS were increased 40.2% and 11.4% for Ti–0.4wt%VGCF as compared to pure Ti, while those values were 30.5% and 2.1% for Ti–0.4wt%Gr. The strengthening mechanism including grain refinement, carbon solid solution strengthening and dispersion hardening of TiC/carbon was discussed in detail.

Abstract: Un-bundled multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were coated on titanium powder surface by using zwitterionic surfactant solution and mixing process, and their CNT/Ti composite powders were consolidated into full-dense materials by spark plasma sintering and the following hot extrusion process in solid-state. Wrought titanium powder metallurgy (PM) composites containing CNTs revealed extreme increment of yield stress and tensile strength of 85% and 50%, respectively, compared to conventional PM titanium with no reinforcement, while they had enough high ductility. The mechanical improvement was mainly due to dispersion strengthening effect of CNTs and in-situ formed TiC fine particles and a small mount of carbon solid solution into Ti matrix. In addition, the control of grain growth was promoted by TiC dispersoids during SPS, and contributed to their strengthening behavior. Furthermore, high-temperature tensile strength less than 673K of PM pure titanium materials was also obviously improved by the pinning effect of TiC particles dispersed at grain boundaries. In this paper, microstructural and mechanical properties of powder metallurgy titanium composites would be introduced in detail.

Abstract: The effect of heat treatment on phase transformation, precipitation behavior and micro-hardness response of Cu40Zn-1.0Ti brass was investigated via powder metallurgy method. The volume fraction of α phase increased with elevated temperature, equaled to that of β phase at 400 °C, and reached to a maximum value of 55.9% at 500 °C. The solid solubility of Ti in Cu40Zn brass matrix decreased with elevated heat treatment temperature, showed high chemical potential for precipitates reaction in Cu40Zn brass. The micro-hardness of the BS40-1.0Ti brass was primarily dependent on the solid solubility of Ti, but also dependent on the phase ratio of α and β phase.