Advanced Ceramics Progress

Advanced Ceramics Progress

Effects of sintering temperature on densification, microstructure and micro-hardness of intermetallic Ti-Cu alloy prepared by mechanical alloying and microwave-assisted sintering method

Document Type : Original Research Article

Authors
Mohammad Reza Akbarpour 1
Fatemeh Sadat Torknik 2
Touraj Ebadzadeh 3
1 Professor, Department of Materials Engineering, University of Maragheh, P.O. Box: 83111-55181, Maragheh, Iran.
2 PhD, Department of Semiconductors, Materials and Energy Research Center, Karaj, Iran.
3 Professor, Department of Ceramic, Materials and Energy Research Center, Karaj, Iran.
10.30501/acp.2024.425053.1138
Abstract
Microwave sintering has emerged as a promising technique for the fabrication of Ti-based alloys, offering unique advantages over conventional sintering methods. The selective and volumetric heating capabilities of microwaves can result in rapid densification, microstructural refinement, and enhanced properties in Ti-Cu alloy systems. Therefore, this study aimed to synthesize an intermetallic alloy of Ti-50 at. % Cu through high-energy mechanical milling and a microwave-assisted sintering method. The objective was to expedite the sintering process of the Ti-Cu alloy using microwave assistance and analyze how this method influences the phases formed and the properties of the alloy. A Ti-50 at. % Cu powder mixture was milled for 30 hours under an argon atmosphere, then uniaxially compacted to form green samples, which were subsequently sintered by microwave heating. This method allowed for rapid consolidation without significant grain growth within a short sintering period. The effects of the sintering method and temperature on microstructure and mechanical properties were studied. The density of the sintered samples increased with rising temperatures, with the highest density of 6.54 g/cm³ obtained at 900°C. Microstructural examination revealed that the Ti3Cu4 and TiCu phases primarily formed, with an average grain size of approximately 28 nm. A high micro-hardness of ~880 HV was achieved for the dense alloy prepared using this method.
Keywords
Mechanical Alloying
Sintering
Densification
Ti-Cu Alloy
Subjects
  1. Akbarpour, M. R., & Hesari, F. A. (2016). Characterization and hardness of TiCu-Ti2Cu3 intermetallic material fabricated by mechanical alloying and subsequent annealing. Materials Research Express, 3(4). https://doi.org/1088/2053-1591/3/4/045004
  2. Akbarpour, M. R., Mirabad, H. M., Hemmati, A., & Kim, H. S. (2022). Processing and microstructure of Ti-Cu binary alloys: A comprehensive review. Progress in Materials Science, 127(January), 100933. https://doi.org/1016/j.pmatsci.2022.100933
  3. Akbarpour, M. R., & Moniri Javadhesari, S. (2020). Densification and Mechanical and Antibacterial Properties of Low-Cost Powder Metallurgy TiCu Intermetallic Alloy as a Potential Biomedical Material. JOM, 72(9), 3262–3268. https://doi.org/1007/s11837-020-04234-0
  4. Akbarpour, M. R., & Moniri Javadhesari, S. (2023). Characterization of Flowability and Compaction Behavior of Biomedical Ti-Cu Intermetallic Alloy Synthesized by Mechanical Alloying Method. Advanced Ceramics Progress, 9(2), 8–15. https://doi.org/30501/acp.2023.387236.1118
  5. Alqattan, M., Alshammari, Y., Yang, F., Peters, L., & Bolzoni, L. (2021). Biomedical Ti–Cu–Mn alloys with antibacterial capability. Journal of Materials Research and Technology, 10, 1020–1028. https://doi.org/1016/J.JMRT.2020.12.044
  6. Fernández, H., Ordoñez, S., Pesenti, H., González, R. E., & Leoni, M. (2019). Microstructure homogeneity of milled aluminum A356–Si3N4 metal matrix composite powders. Journal of Materials Research and Technology, 8(3), 2969–2977. https://doi.org/1016/J.JMRT.2019.05.004
  7. Kikuchi, M., Takada, Y., Kiyosue, S., Yoda, M., Woldu, M., Cai, Z., Okuno, O., & Okabe, T. (2003). Mechanical properties and microstructures of cast Ti–Cu alloys. Dental Materials, 19(3), 174–181. https://doi.org/1016/S0109-5641(02)00027-1
  8. Liu, J., Li, F., Liu, C., Wang, H., Ren, B., Yang, K., & Zhang, E. (2014). Effect of Cu content on the antibacterial activity of titanium-copper sintered Materials Science & Engineering. C, Materials for Biological Applications, 35, 392–400. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msec.2013.11.028
  9. Liu, W., Chen, X., Ahmad, T., Zhou, C., Xiao, X., Wang, H., & Yang, B. (2022). Microstructures and mechanical properties of Cu–Ti alloys with ultrahigh strength and high ductility by thermo-mechanical treatment. Materials Science and Engineering: A, 835, 142672. https://doi.org/1016/J.MSEA.2022.142672
  10. Mahmoudi, P., Akbarpour, M. R., Lakeh, H. B., Jing, F., Hadidi, M. R., & Akhavan, B. (2022). Antibacterial Ti–Cu implants: A critical review on mechanisms of action. Materials Today Bio, 17(September), 100447. https://doi.org/1016/j.mtbio.2022.100447
  11. Moniri Javadhesari, S., Alipour, S., & Akbarpour, M. R. (2019). Microstructural characterization and enhanced hardness, wear and antibacterial properties of a powder metallurgy SiC/Ti-Cu nanocomposite as a potential material for biomedical applications. Ceramics International, 45(8), 10603–10611. https://doi.org/1016/J.CERAMINT.2019.02.127
  12. Moniri Javadhesari, S., Alipour, S., & Akbarpour, M. R. (2020a). Biocompatibility, osseointegration, antibacterial and mechanical properties of nanocrystalline Ti-Cu alloy as a new orthopedic material. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 189(August 2019), 110889. https://doi.org/1016/j.colsurfb.2020.110889
  13. Moniri Javadhesari, S., Alipour, S., & Akbarpour, M. R. (2020b). Effects of SiC nanoparticles on synthesis and antimicrobial activity of TiCu nanocrystalline powder. Ceramics International, 46(1), 114–120. https://doi.org/1016/j.ceramint.2019.08.240
  14. Shon, I. J., Kim, N. R., Du, S. L., Ko, I. Y., Cho, S. W., & Kim, W. (2010). Rapid consolidation of nanostructured TiCu compound by high frequency induction heating and its mechanical properties. Materials Transactions, 51(11), 2129–2131. https://doi.org/2320/matertrans.M2010251
  15. Yuan, Y., Luo, R., Ren, J., Zhang, L., Jiang, Y., & He, Z. (2022). Design of a new Ti-Mo-Cu alloy with excellent mechanical and antibacterial properties as implant materials. Materials Letters, 306, 130875. https://doi.org/1016/J.MATLET.2021.130875
  16. Zhang, D., Qiu, D., Gibson, M. A., Zheng, Y., Fraser, H. L., StJohn, D. H., & Easton, M. A. (2019). Additive manufacturing of ultrafine-grained high-strength titanium alloys. Nature, 576(7785), 91–95. https://doi.org/1038/s41586-019-1783-1
  17. Zhang, Z., Zheng, G., Li, H., Yang, L., Wang, X., Qin, G., & Zhang, E. (2019). Anti-bacterium influenced corrosion effect of antibacterial Ti-3Cu alloy in Staphylococcus aureus suspension for biomedical application. Materials Science & Engineering. C, Materials for Biological Applications, 94, 376–384. https://doi.org/1016/j.msec.2018.09.057

  • Receive Date 14 November 2023
  • Revise Date 07 October 2024
  • Accept Date 25 November 2024