Abstract
Pressureless sintering is a powder metallurgical process wherein the powder particles are sintered without the aid of any compressive force. Though this additive manufacturing process is economical, the strength of the component is undermined due to the presence of pores; the elimination of which is a challenge. In this work, the optimal process parameters for the pressureless microwave sintering of a grade 5 titanium alloy that yields higher tensile strength and minimum sizes of pores were obtained. The three process parameters (sintering temperature, heating rate, and holding time) were experimented at five different levels using the design of experiments (DOE). Post sintering, the tensile strength was assessed as per ASTM standard B925-15, while the pore size was evaluated, non-destructively, using micro-computed tomography (µ-CT). The optimal process parameters that yielded minimum size pores were: sintering temperature—1293 °C, heating rate—6.65 °C/min; and holding time—72 min.
Highlights
Titanium alloy Ti6Al4V, a highly-preferred material in aerospace and biomedical industries due to its mechanical and biocompatibility properties, suffers from poor machinability
Metal sintering is an efficient method for producing complex-shaped components of titanium and titanium alloys, wherein the powder is heated below the melting point (~80% Tm) with or without the application of mechanical pressure [2,3]
In the pressureless microwave sintering, the mechanical properties of the components are affected by the presence of pores that are inevitable
Summary
Titanium alloy Ti6Al4V, a highly-preferred material in aerospace and biomedical industries due to its mechanical and biocompatibility properties, suffers from poor machinability. Additive processes produce near net-shape components and can replicate complex shapes with simple tooling. Metal sintering is an efficient method for producing complex-shaped components of titanium and titanium alloys, wherein the powder is heated below the melting point (~80% Tm) with or without the application of mechanical pressure [2,3]. In the pressureless microwave sintering, the mechanical properties of the components are affected by the presence of pores that are inevitable. Kumar et al [6] observed that ductility decreases with the increase of pore size in conventional sintering of the Ti6Al4V alloy.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
