Powder Injection Molding of Ti-6Al-4V Alloy for Defect-Free High Performance Titanium Parts with Low Carbon/Oxygen Contents

Abstract

In this work, powder injection molding (PIM) of Ti-6Al-4V alloy powder has been studied. Defect-free high performance Ti-6Al-4V parts with low carbon/oxygen contents have been successfully prepared by PIM. A pre-alloyed Ti-6Al-4V alloy powder and wax-polymer binder system have been mixed together to prepare the feedstock. In mixing stage, the solid loading percentage and mixing conditions have been optimized. Rheological and thermal debinding behaviors of prepared feedstock have been characterized and numerically expressed based on rheometry and thermal gravity experimental results. In addition, the injection molding process of Ti-6Al-4V parts has been numerically analyzed to optimize the injection molding conditions. Consequently, the defect-free Ti-6Al-4V parts with low carbon and oxygen contents have been successfully fabricated by PIM, which exhibits excellent physical and mechanical properties.