Microstructures and mechanical properties of powder injection molded Ti-6Al-4V/HA powder.
Taguchi method with an L9 orthogonal array was employed to investigate the sintered properties of Ti-6Al-4V/HA tensile bars produced by powder injection molding. The effects of sintering factors at the 90% significance level: sintering temperature (1050 degrees C, 1100 degrees C and 1150 degrees C), heating rate (5 degrees C/min, 7.5 degrees C/min and 10 degrees C/min), holding time (30, 45 and 60 min) and cooling rate (5 degrees C/min, 20 degrees C/min and 40 degrees C/min) were investigated. Results showed that sintering temperature, heating rate and cooling rate have significant effects on sintered properties, whereas the influence of holding time was insignificant. It was found that a sintering temperature of 1100 degrees C, a heating rate of 7.5 degrees C/min and a cooling rate of 5 degrees C/min increased the relative density, Vicker's microhardness, flexural strength and flexural modulus. However, a further increment of sintering temperature to 1150 degrees C did not show any discernable improvement in the relative density and Vicker's microhardness, but there was a slight increase of 0.6% and 0.9% in the flexural strength and flexural modulus, respectively. Mechanically strong Ti-6Al-4V/HA parts with an open porosity of around 50% were developed.
Thian
E S
ES
School of Mechanical and Production Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
Loh
N H
NH
Khor
K A
KA
Tor
S B
SB
D000497:Alloys / Q000737:chemistry; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D006244:Hardness; D006801:Humans; D006882:Hydroxyapatites / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D019563:Mechanics; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D016062:Porosity; D011208:Powders / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
D000497:Alloys; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D006882:Hydroxyapatites; D011208:Powders; C031462:titanium alloy (TiAl6V4); D014025:Titanium