Field-assisted sintering technology/spark plasma sintering (FAST/SPS) is a rapid sintering technique with great potential for achieving fast densification with minimal grain growth in a short sintering time. Presently the industrial applications of FAST/SPS processing are mainly in areas where it is complex or challenging to process high-performance materials by conventional processes where usually hot isostatic pressure (HIP) processes are applied. In general, the components produced by the forging of preforms fabricated by ingot metallurgy do not exhibit optimal mechanical properties due to a coarse-grained microstructure inherited from the as-cast precursor. In this context, employing a hybrid processing route comprised of FAST/SPS and hot forging could consolidate powder materials into near-net-shaped forged components with a refined microstructure and improved hot deformability. Furthermore, this process chain shows advantages over the conventional multi-step process by eliminating the ingot casting step and most of the ingot’s thermomechanical treatment to achieve the desired microstructure and shape.
In this research, a new processing route consisting of SPS and hot forging was investigated in terms of microstructure evolution and hot workability for titanium aluminide (TNB-V5, Ti–45Al–5Nb–0.2B–0.2C, at.%1) and iron aluminide (Fe-25Al-1.5Ta) alloys. Processing maps were constructed based on the dynamic materials model (DMM) and used as a process design tool to identify the deformation mechanisms and optimum processing windows that will render defect-free parts during industrial-scale manufacturing.
Aliakbar Emdadi
Hot Deformation Intermetallics Microstructure Processing Map Spark Plasma Sintering