The effect of impurities elements on titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) MIM sintered part properties

Abstract

The titanium alloys (Ti-6Al-4V) compact were fabricated by Metal Injection Molding (MIM). However, the real challenge of MIM processing for titanium alloy is its affinity to be contaminated by interstitial light elements such as oxygen and carbon which could degrade the mechanical properties of sintered titanium alloy such as its tensile strength and ductility. The sintering temperature effect on carbon and oxygen content that affects its physical and mechanical properties of the sintered titanium alloy was studied. The titanium MIM brown specimen was sintered at four different sintering temperatures which are 1100 °C, 1150 °C, 1200 °C and 1250 °C for 4 hours under furnace control atmosphere. The experimental result indicated that the specimen which has been made from 100% gas atomized powder have a relative density of 92.2 % - 97.6 %, the range of porosity percent around 2.38 %-3.84 %. Ultimate tensile strength of 873.11 MPa - 1007.19 MPa and ductility percent in range of 1.89 %-3.46 %. The titanium alloy MIM specimen which was sintered at 1150 °C contained 0.145 % of carbon and 0.143 % of oxygen possess the highest value of density and tensile strength, with value of 4.344 gcm−3 and 1007.2 MPa respectively. Meanwhile, the titanium alloy MIM specimen which was sintered at 1200 °C contains 0.130 % of carbon and 0.127 % of oxygen, has the highest percentage of ductility with 3.46 %. The carbon content level increased as the sintering temperature increased due to decomposition of high molecule weight of residue binder system which could not be eliminated during solvent extraction debinding process and sintered at low temperature. Contrarily, the oxygen content level indicates a decrease as the sintering temperature increased. Briefly, the sintering temperature could influence the physical and mechanical properties of titanium alloy MIM sintered specimen as it influences the oxygen and carbon content level in the alloys.