Papers by Keyword: Powder Metallurgy

Abstract: Sliding electrical contacts are traditionally produced by conventional compacting technologies. Employing the powder injection moulding process (PIM) as a new manufacturing method can offer several advantages such as the fabrication of complex net-shaped parts, cost-effectiveness and high volume productions. The PIM process route consists of the following steps: powder processing, compounding, injection molding, debinding and sintering. A two-stage process consisting of solvent debinding and thermal debinding is often used to remove the moulding binder. In the present paper, the suitability of the powder metallurgical processes: mechanical alloying and powder mixing for the preparation of bronze-graphite powder mixtures for the compounding and injection moulding of sliding contacts is discussed. The use of a suitable binder is of central importance for the preparation of injection-moldable feedstocks. For this purpose, two commercial ready-to-use binder systems were utilized and evaluated. The essential challenge of the process route is to optimize all parameters of the subprocesses to achieve a damage-free debinding and sintering of the injection-moulded parts. First results on the influence of the graphite content, the binder fraction, the debinding and sintering parameters are presented and discussed.

Abstract: The integration of fibers, especially tailor fiber placement (TFP), in metal matrices offers one way to generate composite materials with increased specific strength compared to the unreinforced metal matrix. The TFP can be adapted according to the final load paths through the component and can be covered partially or fully with the metal. Following this approach load transfer elements can be built, transferring much load and having low mass. First fields of application are identified in building and automotive industry. This work includes the powder metallurgical manufacturing process using Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) technique, the characterization of the microstructure and the tensile test of different specimens (sintered copper, TFP (as received) and TFP (Cu covered) reinforced copper). Experimental result on 19.5 vol.% TFP (Cu covered) reinforced copper shows an increase of specific strength around a factor of 2.2 compared to pure copper.

Abstract: To meet the need of high-performance thermal management materials in the field of electronic applications, heat sink materials reinforced with synthetic diamonds have been prepared via powder metallurgy. A matrix of a silver alloy with a silicon content of 0.45 wt.% was chosen out of the prediction of the thickness of a final carbide layer of about 180 nm. The volume content of the diamonds and the diamond size were kept constant. The mixed powders were consolidated by Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) using different sintering temperatures between 800 and 870 °C with a holding time of 30 min. The maximum thermal conductivity of 680 W/(mK) measured at room temperature and 620 W/(mK) at 275 °C was obtained at 810 °C sintering temperature. The degradation of the most promising sample after one thermal cycle up to 275 °C was determined below 1 percent of the value after sintering.

Abstract: The aim of this work is to analyse options of different powder metallurgy tools design with upper punch adapted with springs and its benefits with regards green density of the parts compacted in hydraulic press. Crack of the parts also were observed.

Abstract: This work aimed to evaluate the effect of pre-sintering annealing heat treatments and sintering times in AISI M2 high-speed steel powders processed by high energy milling. Turning chips were obtained from an AISI M2 drill bit that was annealed during 2 hours at 900°C, under argon atmosphere, before machining. Subsequently, the chips were milled during 10 hours in a high energy planetary mill with a power ratio of 10:1, also under argon atmosphere. Half of the powder mass was annealed at 650oC during 30 minutes under argon atmosphere after milling. Three different samples were prepared, consisting of: non-annealed powder, annealed powder and a mixture 1:1 of annealed and non-annealed powders. All powders were compacted by uniaxial pressing before sintered. Compressibility curves were obtained for all samples. Sintering process was conducted at 1200°C during 1, 2 and 3 hours and samples were cooled inside the furnace. The annealed powder sample presented the best compactation behavior, due to its restored ductility, followed by the 1:1 mixture of annealed and non-annealed powders. The microstructure of sintered samples displayed a ferritic matrix surrounded by carbide networks at grain boundaries. Higher sintering times resulted in carbon impoverishing, leading to lower volume fractions of carbides and hence reducing its hardness. Non-annealed powders showed higher dependency of sintering time to reduce their porosity. The best results were obtained for the annealed powder with shorter sintering time, since it presented low volume fraction of porosities and smaller grain sizes.

Abstract: Titanium alloys are widely used as implants in orthopedics and dentistry due to their properties such as high strength, corrosion resistance, biocompatibility and good fatigue resistance. Alloys composed of non-toxic elements, like Nb and Zr, provide lowest Young’s modulus with values near to human bone modulus. The goal of this work was to study the effect of NbH particle size and cooling type on the microstructure, phase composition and microhardness of Ti-20Nb-20Zr alloy. The powders were produced by hydrogenation method. Two different powders of NbH were prepared: powders comminuted (C) and comminuted followed by milling (C+M). After, the alloy powders were milling and homogenizated for 6 h / 300 rpm and sintered at 1300 °C / 3h followed furnace cooling. Afterward, the specimens were treated at 1000 °C / 1 h and cooling in air and water. The samples were characterized by XRD, SEM and Vickers microhardness. The results showed that the alloy is classified as α + β. Vickers microhardness of Ti-20Nb-20Zr ranged between 680-700 and 540-600 HV from alloys prepared with NbH-comminuted and NbH comminuted + milled, respectively. Results indicated that NbH agglomerate behave as barriers for the sintering process of the alloy.

Abstract: Advances in processes using the powder metallurgy techniques are making this technology competitive compared to the other traditional manufacturing processes, especially in medicine area. The additive rapid prototyping technique – selective laser melting (SLM) was applied in a biomaterial of CoCrMoFe alloy (ASTM F75), to study the mechanical properties and microstructural characterization in comparison between the conventional technique – casting. The gas atomized powder was investigated by their physical (as apparent density, bulk density and flow rate) and the chemical properties. The powder was analyzed using scanning electron microscope with energy-dispersed X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and X-ray fluorescence. Specimens of standard samples were manufactured using these techniques to evaluate the mechanical properties as uniaxial tensile (yield strength, rupture tensile and elongation), transverse rupture strength and the micro hardness. The mechanical properties showed higher values in the SLM specimens than the casting specimens. Before the mechanical tests the specimens were examined using optical microscope (OM) and SEM-EDS. The micrographs revealed a microstructure with finer morphology in the SLM technique and the dendrites in the casting technique.

Abstract: The aim of this study is the consolidation of Cobalt-Chromium (CoCr) alloy powder using the additive manufacturing - selective laser melting (SLM) and the investment casting techniques. The research of this study has been applied to their biomaterial applied to development of prosthesis and dental implants. The gas atomized powder are spherical (mean diameter equal to 42,74 μm) and was analyzed by their physical and chemical properties. The microstructure of the powder and specimens was evaluated using optical microscope (OM) and scanning electron microscope with energy-dispersed X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). The mechanical properties were evaluated of standard samples using a tensile (yield strength, maximum tensile, rupture tensile and elongation), three point bending (transverse rupture strength) and micro hardness tests. The mechanical results indicate higher values for the SLM than casting specimens. The micrographs revealed a characteristic morphology of laser been used in the SLM technique and the dendrites in the casting technique. The microstructure of samples made by SLM is thinner than the samples obtained in the cast.

Abstract: The functionalization of β-Ti alloys by the addition of small amounts of bactericidal elements is interesting for biomedical applications. Thus, alloying pure titanium with highly biocompatible elements such as Nb or Ta, stabilizes the β phase of the resulting alloy although they can also include difficulties during the fabrication process due to their refractory nature. This work studies the effect of small additions of Ag and Cu (1.5 to 3 wt.%) on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the Ti34Nb (wt.%) alloy processed by powder metallurgy. The blend elemental powders were mixed (30 rpm during 30 min). The samples were compacted at 600 MPa and sintered at 1250 oC during 3 hours. The microstructure was analyzed by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope with X-Ray Spectroscopy (FE-SEM/EDS). The mechanical properties were obtained by bending tests; the elastic modulus was measured by ultrasonic methods and the porosity by Archimedes test. Cu addition generates the appearance of α phase sheets inside the β phase grains. Cu also decreases the open porosity and increases the closed porosity of the material. On the contrary, Ag addition does not influence the stabilization of the β phase and it does not modify the density, thus the total porosity of the resulting material. With respect to the influence of the alloying elements on the elastic modulus (E) of the alloys, the E of the Ti34Nb (76.8 GPa) increases with the Cu addition (92.6 GPa) and decreases with the Ag one (68.9 GPa). Therefore, silver addition, which does not modify the microstructure and slightly decrease the mechanical properties of the Ti34Nb, can be considered a good alloying element to provide antibacterial features to the titanium alloy without losing performance.

Abstract: The development of materials with a porous titanium surface has been widely studied in the field of biomaterials due to the excellent biocompatibility, high corrosion resistance and combination of high strength with low density. Another relevant fact is that porosity allows bone tissue growth. However, the high reactivity in liquid state ends up hindering titanium fusion, so an alternative is the powder metallurgy (PM).The aim of this work was to produce porous titanium samples by conventional PM. Porous samples was characterized by porosity and microstructure (optical microscopy - OP and scanning electron microscopy SEM), crystaline phase (X-ray diffraction –XRD), mechanical properties (three point bending test) and cytotoxic test. The results showed the presence of alpha phase, a decrease in the elasticity modulus, increase in average pore size and samples exhibited no toxic effects.