Powder Metallurgy Process Research Articles

Tribological and electrochemical behaviour study of porous TiNiCu alloys manufactured by the powder metallurgy process

ABSTRACT The experimental work aims to study the effect of the Copper (Cu) addition on the tribological and electrochemical behaviour of porous Ti50Ni50-x-Cux alloys. In the first step pure metal powders of titanium (Ti), nickel (Ni), and Cu were ball-milled during 8 h in a planetary ball mill, and then compacted under a 4 ton load to obtain pre-alloyed powders. The final step is sintering at 950°C for 7 h in a tubular furnace under a controlled atmosphere. X-ray diffraction measurements (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses, microhardness measurements, friction tests and electrochemical were carried out to characterise the tribological and electrochemical performances of the elaborated specimens. DRX results reveal the formation of four major phases: TiNi, Ti2Ni, TiNi3 and TiNi0.8Cu0.2. Potentiodynamic polarisation tests show the positive effect of adding Cu on corrosion resistance, where the 6% Cu sample exhibits the best corrosion behaviour. Tribological results show a decrease in the coefficient of friction and wear rate with the addition of Cu, compared to the initial state, without Cu addition. The minimum coefficient of friction (0.585) was recorded for the 2% Cu sample, while the minimum wear rate (Ws = 1.06. E−4mm3/N/m) was achieved for the 4% Cu sample.

A Study on the Optimal Powder Metallurgy Process to Obtain Suitable Material Properties of Soft Magnetic Composite Materials for Electric Vehicles

This study systematically investigates the impact of the material properties of soft magnetic composites (SMCs) on the powder metallurgy forming process. It proposes a suitable material selection process for various motor types and shapes and determines the optimal forming conditions for each SMC material. This study employed the Taguchi design method to identify key control factors such as powder type, forming temperature, and forming speed, and analyzed their effects on relative density. Simulation results indicated that AncorLam HR exhibited superior properties compared with AncorLam and Fe-6.5wt.%Si. The optimal conditions determined through signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) calculations were AncorLam HR at 60 °C and five cycles per minute (CPMs). Validation through simulation and SEM analysis confirmed improved density uniformity and reduced defects in products formed under optimal conditions. Final prototype testing demonstrated that the selected conditions achieved the target density with minimal variance, enhancing the mechanical properties and performance of the motors. These results suggest that the appropriate application of SMC materials can significantly enhance motor efficiency and reliability.

Unveiling niobium pentoxide and cerium oxide-dispersed ferritic stainless steel for solid oxide fuel cells interconnects

Herein, the effect of niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5) and nano-sized cerium oxide (CeO2) on oxidation behavior and area specific resistance (ASR) of the ferritic stainless steel has been investigated for the development of robust metallic interconnects. An oxide-dispersed ferritic stainless steel alloy is fabricated using the powder metallurgy (PM) process. The morphologies of the alloy before and after oxidation are observed through Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) and Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) analyses. Addition of Nb2O5 in the alloy formed a C14 Laves phase of (Fe, Cr)2(Nb, Si). The Laves phase and CeO2 controlled the oxidation behavior of the ferritic stainless steels, consequently reducing the oxide scale thickness and improving the ASR. An alloy with 1 wt% Nb2O5 and 3 wt% CeO2 showed an ASR value of 27.1 mΩ cm2 at 800 °C for 1000 h, which is similar to the ASR value of the commercial Fe–Cr alloy. The results of this study indicate that Nb2O5 and CeO2-dispersed ferritic stainless steel using the PM process can be more advantageous than the conventional process for manufacturing metallic interconnects with complex shapes and reducing production costs.

X- and gamma rays cross sections and nuclear shielding performance of recycled cathode ray tube doping with high concentrations of Na2CO3

In an attempt to mitigate the increasing number of waste Cathod Ray Tube (CRT) glass in the environment, provide a safe, cheaper, and environmentally attractive recycling route for the glasses, and provide an alternative material for gamma radiation absorption applications, this study investigated the influence of adding Na2CO3 on the density, and gamma photon-absorbing prowess of CRT glass. Using the powder metallurgy process, CRT-NCx glasses consisting of CRT glass powder mixed with two distinct weight concentrations (20% (CRT-NC20 and 40% (CRT-NC40)) of Na2CO3 powder were prepared. The mass attenuation coefficients (μρ) of the prepared glasses were obtained using FLUKA simulations for 15 keV–15 MeV photons. The density of CRT, CRT-NC20, and CRT-NC40 were 3.117 g/cm3, 2.987 g/cm3, and 2.894 g/cm3, respectively. The range of μρ for CRT, CRT-NC20, and CRT-NC40 corresponded to 0.0326–45.5236 cm2/g, 0.030–35.0662 cm2/g, and 0.0278–26.9813 cm2/g, respectively. The half-value layer and mean free path was found to vary within the range 0.005–6.822 cm and 0.007–9.842 cm for CRT; 0.007–7.748 cm and 0.010–11.178 cm for CRT-NC20; and 0.009–8.633 cm and 0.013–12.455 cm for CRT-NC40. The minimum and maximum values of μenρ were 0.0216 and 37.7566 cm2/g for CRT, 0.0202 and 29.1167 cm2/g for CRT-NC20, and 0.01921 and 22.4430 cm2/g for CRT-NC40. CRT-rich glass showed higher radiation absorbed doses for the same beam energy and glass thickness. Na2CO3-rich glasses had lower buildup factors BFs, hence preferable in broad beam transmission scenarios. The investigated CRT-NCx glasses are more attractive for radiation protection functions in contrast to some well-known radiation shielding materials considering their lower mean free paths. The present glass system provides and alternative and effective gamma radiation shield, and also proffers a way of upcycling waste CRT glasses.

Microstructure and Corrosion Characteristics of Dual Reinforced (SiC–B4C) Al Matrix Composites Produced by Powder Metallurgy Process

Microstructure and Corrosion Characteristics of Dual Reinforced (SiC–B4C) Al Matrix Composites Produced by Powder Metallurgy Process

Achieved strength-plastic trade-off in HfMoNbTaTi refractory high-entropy alloy via powder metallurgy process

The practical application of refractory high-entropy alloys (RHEAs) has been limited by their brittleness at room temperature. This study prepared fine-grained HfMoNbTaTi refractory high-entropy alloys using a powder metallurgy process combining mechanical alloying (MA) and spark plasma sintering (SPS). This method effectively addresses the issue of room temperature brittleness and achieves a favorable balance between strength and plasticity. The resulting sintered alloy comprises two body-centered cubic (BCC) solid solution matrices and a range of nanoprecipitates, including the γ-phase, σ-phase, and α-phase. With increasing sintering temperature, the average grain size increased from 0.45 μm (at 1400 °C) to 4.56 μm (at 1700 °C). Simultaneously, the content of the γ-phase gradually decreases due to the greater influence of mixing entropy. Under quasi-static loading, the fine-grained multiphase structure not only benefits from grain boundary strengthening and precipitation strengthening effects, but also enhances the deformation uniformity, ultimately improving both the strength and plasticity. At 1450 °C, the sintered alloy exhibited a compressive yield strength of 2325 ± 8.40 MPa and a plastic strain of 26.44 ± 1.17 %. These values represent a 35.73 % increase in yield strength and a 120.33 % increase in plastic strain compared to those of the as-cast alloy. The deformation process at room temperature is mainly governed by the multiplication of screw dislocations and cross-slips. In the middle and late stages of deformation, the grains exhibit a preferred orientation, further enhancing the plastic strain. In summary, this study presents a practical approach for overcoming the issue of room temperature embrittlement in RHEAs.

Finite Element Analysis of Densification Process in High Velocity Compaction of Iron-Based Powder.

A finite element model based on elastic-plastic theory was conducted to study the densification process of iron-based powder metallurgy during high velocity compaction (HVC). The densification process of HVC at different heights was simulated using MSC Marc 2020 software with the Shima-Oyane model, and compared with the experimental results. The numerical simulation results were consistent with the experimental results, proving the reliability of the finite element model. Through finite element analysis and theoretical calculation, the high-speed impact molding process of metal powder was analyzed, and the optimal empirical compaction equation for iron-based powder high-speed impact molding was obtained. At the same time, the influence of impact velocity and impact energy on the relative density distribution cloud map and numerical values of the compact was analyzed.

Microstructural and Tensile Property Differences between Ni-16Mo and ODS alloys Fabricated by the Powder Metallurgy Processes

Ni-16Mo and ODS alloys were fabricated by the powder metallurgical processes, and their microstructures and tensile properties were investigated. Ni-16Mo-7Cr and Ni-16Mo-7Cr-0.3Ti-0.35Y2O3 (in wt.%) alloys were prepared by mechanical alloying, uniaxial hot pressing, and heat treatment processes. Microstructural observations of these alloys revealed that the Ti and Y2O3 additions to a Ni-16Mo alloy were significantly effective to refine the grain size and form nano-sized Y-Ti-O oxide particles. Consequently, the tensile strengths at room temperature and 700°C were considerably enhanced. This improvement of tensile properties can be mainly attributed to the formation of nano-sized oxide particles, as well as the refined grain size. It is thus concluded that Ni-16Mo alloy with Ti and Y2O3 additions would be very effective in improving the mechanical properties especially at elevated temperatures.

Synergistic reinforcement of Cu/Ti3SiC2/C laminated-like composites with the bimodal and highly oriented graphite flake and graphene nanoplatelets

This study describes the preparation of bimodal reinforced Cu/Ti3SiC2/C laminated-like composites using flake powder metallurgy and vacuum hot-press sintering process. The objective was to accurately modulate the formation of oriented reinforcement network in two-dimensional carbon materials. The powders used in the five designed composites were flake Cu powder (45–60 μm), Ti3SiC2 (1–5 μm), graphite flakes (GFs, 120 μm) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs, 15 μm). Among them, the proportions of Ti3SiC2 (10 wt %) and GFs (3 wt %) remained unchanged, GNPs accounted for 0 wt %, 0.5 wt %, 1.0 wt %, and 1.5 wt %, and Cu powder accounted for a decreasing proportion. Formation mechanisms of GFs and GNPs in oriented networks were quantitatively analyzed using the alignment model. Additionally, the related strengthening and failure mechanisms were investigated. According to the study, the bimodal laminated-like Cu/Ti3SiC2/C composites with 0.5 wt% GNPs added showed the best overall performance. Specifically, it exhibited a hardness of 125.7 HV, tensile strength of 276.3 MPa, thermal conductivity of 207.8 W m−1 K−1, and electrical conductivity of 23.6 MS/m. The network enhanced by the two-dimensional carbon material achieves efficient and orderly load transfer and dissipation mechanisms, optimizing stress distribution and enhancing fracture resistance, resulting in improved mechanical properties. In addition, the formation of the oriented reinforcement network optimizes the orientation arrangement of the reinforcing particles, which somewhat mitigates the scattering of thermoelectric carriers by structural defects in the composites, and the enlarged mean free-range improves the migration efficiency of electrons and phonons. Therefore, the erection of bimodal laminated-like structure achieves the goal of optimizing the properties of the composites.

Effect of hybrid ratio and sintering temperature on hardness properties of hybrid AMCs

The present research work is aimed toward fabrication of hybrid Aluminium matrix composites (AMCs) of different hybrid ratios of Alumina (Al2O3) and Silicon Carbide (SiC) followed by investigation of their microstructure and hardness properties. Hybrid AMCs were fabricated through powder metallurgy process by adding 5 wt% and 10 wt% mixture of Al2O3 and SiC reinforcements of various hybrid ratios (0:1, 1:3, 1:2, 1:1, 3:1, 2:1 and 1:0) with the pure Aluminium powder. The mixture powder were properly mixed by ball milling arrangements for 6 h. The mixture powder were preheated at 500 °C for 2 h in a high temperature programmable tube furnace followed by immediate compaction under a closed die at 1500 psi pressure through automatic hydraulic press. The compacted specimens were then sintered at 350 °C, 500 °C and 650 °C for 2 h in the same furnace. Hardness test of the fabricated hybrid AMCs were carried out by Vickers Micro-hardness testers and hardness values were measured by the integrated software. The hardness properties of hybrid AMCs also were compared with the hardness properties of pure Aluminium specimens fabricated through the same process route and process parameters. It is interestingly observed that hardness of hybrid AMC is more when pure Aluminium powder is reinforced with only SiC of same wt.% for both the cases (5 wt% and 10 wt% reinforce AMCs) and it decreases with decrease of weight fraction of SiC and simultaneously increase of weight fraction of Al2O3 keeping total weight fraction of mixture as constant.

Strengthened high-temperature resistance in B4C/SiC/2024Al composite via SiC nanowires pinning grain boundary

Aiming at developing new B4C/Al neutron absorbing materials with both high thermal neutron absorption performance and high-temperature strength for neutron shielding applications, B4C/SiC/2024Al composites were fabricated by powder metallurgy process. TEM results revealed that SiC nanowires were distributed at Al grain boundaries and bonded tightly with Al matrix. Grain boundary sliding and grain rotation were efficiently restricted and prevented dislocation annihilation at GBs. The thermal stability of composite was improved by adding SiC nanowires and achieved a high-temperature strength of 163.4 ± 1.8 MPa at 573 K, which was increased by 92.2 % compared to the composite without addition of SiC nanowires. By analyzing the strengthening mechanism, dislocation strengthening was the dominant factor in the improvement of high-temperature strength. As for neutron absorption application, B4C/SiC/2024Al composite exhibited not only good high-temperature strength but also remarkable neutron absorption performance and matched thermal conductivity and coefficient of thermal expansion.

Research on the reconstruction of porous bronze structures based on powder metallurgy simulation

The microscopic morphology of pores within the porous throttle determines the gas flow state, which directly affects the macroscopic performance of the air bearing. Geometric modeling of porous materials is a prerequisite for pore characterization and fluid state analysis. Therefore, in this study, a porous model was established by simulating each step of the powder metallurgy process of porous bronze, in which the sintering fusion simulation was innovatively accomplished by median filtering of the material cross-sectional images. The feasibility of the reconstruction method was verified by comparing pore morphology parameters and permeability results with the actual porous materials. On this basis, the flow simulation was performed to reveal the fluid flow state inside the pore channel structures. This method avoids the complex algorithms of mathematical methods and the dependence on high-precision instruments of experimental methods.

Selective extraction of molybdenum from an industrial powdery tungsten-molybdenum mixture scraps through ultrasonic-assisted electrochemical dissolution mechanism

Extraction and recovery of W and Mo from waste scraps hold significant importance for sustainable resource utilization and environmental protection. Ultrasonic-assisted leaching was demonstrated to be a clean and efficient method for metal dissolution and separation, and the research emphasis of this work was focused on ultrasonic electrochemical behaviors. The HNO3 leaching behaviors of W and Mo under conventional and ultrasonic-assisted processes from powdery W-Mo mixture scraps generated in the powder metallurgy process were investigated. It’s demonstrated that Mo and W can be selectively separated by the regulation of lixiviant concentration and temperature, in which the Mo is converted into the soluble ions (MoO22+) while the W particle is kept in original metallic state and covered with insoluble WO3·H2O. Experiment results indicated that 96.38 % Mo and 8.03 % W were rapidly leached in 2 mol/L HNO3 within ultrasonic-assisted leaching for 10 min at 25 °C, showing a favorable pre-separation effect. Phase transformation and microstructure evolution of the leaching residues under conventional and ultrasonic-assisted leaching processes were analyzed. It’s suggested that Mo can precipitate in the form of molybdenum oxide hydrates, covering the unreacted particle surfaces and further hindering the Mo leaching, especially at higher temperature. This unfavorable situation can be relieved by the introduction of ultrasonic cavitation effect. Importantly, the electrochemical dissolution behaviors of pure W, pure Mo, and W-Mo alloy sheets in HNO3 solution were compared employing the potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy testing to reveal the ultrasonic intensifying mechanism in this study. Eventually, the ultrasonic electrochemical intensifying mechanism can be referential for the efficient dissolution of metal-based scraps for resource recycling.

Microstructure and tribological properties of aluminum matrix composites reinforced with ZnO–hBN nanocomposite particles

Abstract In this study, pure and hBN-doped ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by sol–gel method. ZnO–hBN nanoparticles were mixed with pure aluminum powders and samples were prepared using powder metallurgy processing parameters. It was observed that Al, ZnO, and hBN nanocomposite particles formed homogeneously. With the addition of ZnO–hBN, significant changes occurred in hardness, wear, and friction coefficient values compared to pure Al samples. The highest hardness value in the samples is mesh. It was obtained as 105 HB in 10 wt.% hBN added sample. In the wear tests, it is seen that the wear resistance is seven times higher in the 1 wt.% hBN added sample compared to the pure Al sample, while the friction coefficient decreases with the increase of the hBN additive.

Parametric optimization of hot pressing powder metallurgy process for improved toughness and microhardness of multilayered B4C/AA7075 FGM

Parametric optimization of hot pressing powder metallurgy process for improved toughness and microhardness of multilayered B4C/AA7075 FGM

Effect of ball milling and solid solution treatment on microstructure and mechanical properties of ZrMgMo3O12p/2024Al composites

The 10 vol% ZrMgMo3O12/2024Al composites were fabricated using the powder metallurgy process and consolidation via vacuum hot pressing. The effects of the ball milling process and solution treatment time on the composites’ microstructure, Vickers hardness, and compressive properties were studied. Increasing the ball milling speed and extending the ball milling duration reduce the size of ZrMgMo3O12 particles, resulting in a more uniform dispersion within the aluminum matrix. Extending the solution treatment duration facilitates the dissolution of more primary Al2Cu phase into the aluminum matrix reducing the presence of coarse primary Al2Cu phase and increasing the number of fine Al2Cu precipitates formed during the aging process. The results indicated that an appropriate increase in ball milling speed, extension of ball milling duration, and solution treatment time can enhance the Vickers hardness and room temperature compressive strength of the composites. Specifically, the composites processed with a ball milling speed of 350 rpm for 6 h, a solid solution treatment at 495 °C for 24 h, and an aging treatment at 190 °C for 8 h exhibited a Vickers hardness of 277 HV and a compressive yield strength of 687 MPa, along with a compressive strain of 7.8 %.

A novel sintering method for polycrystalline NiMnGa production for elastocaloric applications

NiMnGa Heusler alloy plays a key role as reference system for ferromagnetic shape memory alloys (FeSMAs) and their peculiar functional properties including large magnetic-field-induced strain, magnetocaloric and elastocaloric effects. Moreover, the microstructure of polycrystalline NiMnGa alloys has been investigated and optimized to improve the mechanical properties and to reduce their typical brittleness. For this reason, increasing interest has been devoted to different kinds of fabrication routes for this alloy, such as powder metallurgy processes. In the present study, a polycrystalline Ni50Mn30Ga20 (atomic %) alloy is produced by means of an unconventional sintering method that involves the canning of powders and the subsequent processing by hot rolling. This process was implemented according to the results obtained by means of the open die pressing (ODP) sintering of NiMnGa which was investigated in a previous work. The present study is aimed at developing an alternative and cost-effective sintering method for the consolidation of fully-dense NiMnGa samples. The process allowed reducing the intrinsic brittleness of the alloy. A heat treatment at 925 °C for 6 h was applied and allowed achieving a maximum adiabatic ΔT of +6.3 °C and - 4.5 °C with a strain of 4 % and a strain rate of 400 %/min in compression. The novel method led to very promising elastocaloric properties, making NiMnGa a suitable candidate for solid-state cooling and heating applications.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti-Nb alloys: comparing conventional powder metallurgy, mechanical alloying, and high power impulse magnetron sputtering processes for supporting materials screening

At the interface of thin film development and powder metallurgy technologies, this study aims to characterise the mechanical properties, lattice constants and phase formation of Ti-Nb alloys (8–30 at.%) produced by different manufacturing methods, including conventional powder metallurgy (PM), mechanical alloying (MA) and high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS). A central aspect of this research was to investigate the different energy states achievable by each synthesis method. The findings revealed that as the Nb content increased, both the hardness and Young’s modulus of the PM samples decreased (from 4 to 1.5 and 125 to 85 GPa, respectively). For the MA alloys, the hardness and Young’s modulus varied between 3.2 and 3.9 and 100 to 116 GPa, respectively, with the lowest values recorded for 20% Nb (3.2 and 96 GPa). The Young’s modulus of the HiPIMS thin film samples did not follow a specific trend and varied between 110 and 138 GPa. However, an increase in hardness (from 3.6 to 4.8 GPa) coincided with an increase in the β2 phase contribution for films with the same chemical composition (23 at.% of Nb). This study highlights the potential of using HiPIMS gradient films for high throughput analysis for PM and MA techniques. This discovery is important as it provides a way to reduce the development time for complex alloy systems in biomaterials as well as other areas of materials engineering.Graphical abstract

Damping and mechanical behavior of graphene nanoplatelets reinforced Al-30Zn alloy matrix bioinspired laminated composites by two steps flake powder metallurgy

Damping and mechanical properties are often incompatible in metallic materials. In this paper, bio-inspired laminated graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) reinforced Al-30Zn alloy matrix composites with an outstanding combination of damping-mechanical properties are prepared using a flake powder metallurgy (FPM) process. The increased grain/phase boundary owing to grain refinement improves the intrinsic damping properties of the composites, while the lamellar grains promote the oriented alignment and crack deflection of GNPs. The multilayered GNPs with large specific surface area experienced repeated stretching and compression during cyclic bending deformation, leading to intense interfacial frictional slip, and GNPs' high intrinsic thermal conductivity also helped to dissipate heat quickly, which promoted mechanical energy dissipation. The improvement in mechanical properties is mainly attributed to grain refinement, the load transfer effect of GNPs and their interaction with dislocations. The Al-30Zn-0.5GNPs composites showed the best combination of damping properties and mechanical properties.

Milling amorphous FeSiB ribbons with vibratory ball and disc mills

Fe, Si and B powders, mixed with atomic composition Fe78Si9B13, are subjected after arc melting to a melt spinning process, which is optimized to obtain the greatest amount of amorphous ribbon. The amorphous ribbons are milled to powder form in a vibratory ball mill and a vibratory disc mill, taking care of maintaining the amorphous character. Ribbons and powders have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), laser diffraction, SEM and TEM microscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The amorphous character and particle size of the powders are characterized as a function of the mill charge and the milling time. It is shown that the use of the ball mill is appropriate for obtaining small quantities of amorphous or nanocrystalline powder, while the disc mill can process larger quantities of powder in a shorter time. The particle sizes obtained for milling times between 10 and 150 min range between 26 and 412 μm, ready for use in powder metallurgy processes.