High Strength Titanium Rods Produced by Thermomechanical Powder Consolidation

Abstract

In this paper, pure titanium rods, with high strength and ductility, were prepared by vacuum sintering titanium powder compacts at 1300oC for 2h and then hot extruding the as-sintered titanium billets at 900oC in air. The microstructure and property changes, after vacuum sintering and hot extrusion, were investigated. The results showed clear evidence of porosity in the microstructure of as-sintered titanium billet and tensile testing of as-sintered material gave yield strength, ultimate tensile strength and ductility values of 570MPa, 602MPa and 4%, respectively. After extrusion at 900oC, no obvious pores could be seen in the microstructure of as-extruded titanium rod, and the mechanical properties were significantly improved. The yield strength, ultimate tensile strength and the ductility reached 650MPa, 705MPa and 20%, respectively, which are much higher than values for CP titanium (grade 4), with a yield strength of 480MPa, ultimate tensile strength of 550MPa and ductility of 15%. The fracture characteristics of as-sintered and as-extruded titanium rods have also been investigated.