The aim of this study was to investigate a zirconia-matrix reinforced with metal powder (chromium, iron and stainless steel (AISI 316)) including processing, characterisation, and measurements of their properties (mechanical, thermal and electrical). Zirconia stabilised with 5.4 wt% Y₂0₃ (3 mol%) as the matrix was first studied and followed by an investigation of the effects of metal reinforcement on zirconia-matrix composites. Monolithic zirconia was pressureless sintered in air and argon to observe the effect of sintering atmosphere, while the composites were pressureless sintered in argon to avoid oxidation. Sintering was carried out at various temperatures for 1 hour and 1450°C was chosen to get almost fully dense samples. The density of the fired samples was measured using a mercury balance method and the densification behaviour was analysed using TMA (Thermo-mechanical Analysis). The TMA was also used to measure the coefficient of thermal expansion. In addition, thermal analysis using DTA and TGA was performed to observe reactions and phase transformations. Moreover, optical microscopy and SEM were used to observe the microstructures, XRD was used for phase identification, and mechanical properties including Vickers hardness, fracture toughness and bending strength were measured. The effect of thermal expansion mismatch on thermal stresses was also analysed and discussed. Finally, thermal diffusivity at room temperature and as a function of temperature was measured using a laser flash method, and to complete the study, electrical conductivity at room temperature was also measured. The investigation of monolithic zirconia showed that there was no significant effect of air and argon atmosphere during sintering on density, densification behaviour, microstructures, and properties (mechanical and thermal). Furthermore, the results were in good agreement with that reported by previous researchers. However, the presence of metal in the composites influenced the sintering behaviour and the densification process depends on the metal stability, reactivity, impurity, particle size, and volume fraction. Iron reacted with yttria (zirconia stabiliser), melted and reduced the densification temperature of monolithic zirconia, while chromium and AISI 316 did not significantly affect the densification temperature and did not react with either zirconia or yttria. AISI 316 melted during fabrication. Moreover, all of the metal reinforcements reduced the final shrinkage of monolithic zirconia. In terms of properties, the composites showed an increase in fracture toughness, and a reduction in Vickers hardness and strength with increasing reinforcement content. In addition, the thermal diffusivity of the composites showed an increase with reinforcement content for the zirconia/chromium and zirconia/iron composites, but not for the zirconia/AISI 316 composites due to intrinsic mircocracking. Furthermore, all the composites became electrically conductive with 20 vol% or more of reinforcement. It has been concluded that of those composites the zirconia/chromium system may be considered as having the best combination of properties and although further development is needed for such composites to be used in real applications in structural engineering, the materials may be developed based on these findings. In addition, these findings may be used in development of ceramic/metal joining as composite interlayers are frequently used.

Thesis (M. Phil.)--Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 82-85). Also available in electronic version. Access restricted to campus users.

Thesis (M.S.)--Worcester Polytechnic Institute. / Keywords: Powder Metallurgy; Delubrication. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 60-61).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Drexel University, 2008. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 130-134).

Thesis (M.S.)--Worcester Polytechnic Institute. / Keywords: lubricant pyrolysis; sintering; powder metallurgy; delubrication. Includes bibliographical references (p.69-70).

The current, commercially available, press and sinter Al-Mg-Si-Cu alloys are based on wrought or cast alloy compositions and have not been tailored for the press and sinter process. The limited development of the Al-Mg-Si-Cu alloys for the press and sinter process can be partly attributed to a poor understanding of the effects of processing conditions on the sintering behaviour. The primary objective of this work was to investigate and understand the effects of processing conditions on the sintering behaviour of Al-Mg-Si-Cu-(Sn) alloys. Dilatometry was used in conjunction with other experimental techniques to elucidate and understand the expansion and shrinkage events that occur during the liquid-phase sintering of Al-Mg-Si-Cu-(Sn) powder metallurgy alloys. Samples were uni-axially pressed from elemental metal powder blends, de-waxed, and then sintered in a horizontal push-rod dilatometer to record the dimensional changes in the pressing direction. The processing conditions examined included the alloy composition, temperature, green density and atmosphere. A liquid forms during heating due to reactions between the alloying elements and the aluminium. This liquid is initially non-wetting on the oxide layer of the aluminium particles, resulting in separation of the particles, which is manifested by expansion of the sample. The oxide is reduced as sintering progresses, alleviating the non-wetting conditions. When more liquid forms, further expansion occurs, despite the improved wetting conditions. It is proposed that atmospheric oxygen and/or nitrogen can react with the liquid, forming a solid phase (‘shell’) at the liquid-vapour interfaces. These shells prevent the liquid from wetting the particles, resulting in further expansion and preventing shrinkage. Unbalanced diffusivities (the Kirkendall effect) between the aluminium and silicon contribute to the expansion. A mechanism is proposed to account for the transition to shrinkage, whereby the shells at the liquid-vapour interface rupture when there is a rapid increase in the volume of contained liquid. The liquid then flows out and over the shells, onto the aluminium substrate, causing shrinkage. Magnesium and nitrogen delay the transition to shrinkage by facilitating nitride shell formation at the solid-liquid interface. Silicon and tin cause an earlier transition to shrinkage by increasing the liquid volume. In addition, tin promotes shrinkage by segregating to the liquid-vapour interfaces, limiting the thickness of the shells at the liquid-vapour interfaces. The two dominant liquid-phase shrinkage mechanisms during the sintering of Al-Mg-Si-Cu-(Sn) alloys are rearrangement and pore-filling. Contact-flattening is not a dominant shrinkage mechanism, but may occur concurrently with the other mechanisms. If contact flattening occurs, a decrease in the pressure of isolated pores increases the total shrinkage rate. Nitrogen increases the shrinkage rate during rearrangement by restricting grain-growth. Magnesium increases the shrinkage rate during rearrangement by reducing the solid-liquid interface energy. Magnesium and nitrogen are essential for the formation of nitride within isolated pores, which decreases the pore pressure and increases the contribution of contact-flattening on the total shrinkage rate. Silicon reduces the beneficial influence of magnesium during rearrangement by diluting the magnesium content in the liquid. Silicon increases the pore-filling rate due to an increase in the liquid volume. Magnesium increases the pore-filling rate by facilitating aluminium nitride formation within isolated pores and by increasing the pore-filling. Tin additions can decrease the pore-filling rate due to its segregation to the liquid-vapour interface, limiting the consumption of nitrogen within isolated pores.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2002. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2002. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Aluminum powder metallurgy (PM) parts have found applications in automotive, aerospace and transportation. Sintered aluminum parts have been developed and compete with traditionally fabricated ingot metallurgy (IM) products for specific applications. To extend the range of application of (PM) alloys which offer the advantage of net and near net shape production, processing parameters and corrosion behaviour of the aluminum alloys need to be improved. In this research, processing parameters and corrosion behaviour of a commercial Al-Mg-Si aluminum alloy (Alumix 321) were investigated. This alloy is the PM equivalent of wrought AA6061. Four sintering temperatures (610 °C, 620 °C, 630 °C, 640 °C) and two pressing pressures (200 MPa, 400 MPa) were used and the optimum pressing and sintering procedure was selected. In addition to different processing routes of aluminum powder metallurgy alloys, a series of electrochemical experiments on both (IM) and (PM) aluminum alloy was performed with the aim of correlating corrosion behaviour with production techniques. As a modification step, post sintering treatments and surface alteration techniques were applied. Hot rolling, hot swaging, repressing, resin impregnation and shot peening were performed and their effect on corrosion behaviour was investigated; their effect on density, hardness, and microstructure was also studied. Hardness after hot swaging and hot rolling increases and near full density was achieved (? 99%), while for resin impregnation and shot peening surface nature and roughness were affected, respectively. Electrochemical techniques such as open circuit potential (OCP), Tafel extrapolation (TE), cyclic polarization (CP) and stair step polarization (SP) were performed on the ingot, wrought, and post sintered alloys immersed in a 3.5 wt% NaCl solution. Electrochemical experiments show that corrosion current decreases as a result of post sintering treatments. The electrochemical experiments also show different corrosion mechanisms that were later confirmed by the metallographic analysis. The corrosion product and corroded surfaces of the alloys were characterized by optical microscopy, scanning microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), wavelength dispersive spectroscopy (WDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Results show that pitting is the main corrosion mechanism of the wrought alloy. However, powder metallurgy alloys show pitting, crevice, and intergranular corrosion. / Effect of processing parameters on corrosion behaviour of Alumix 321 PM alloy

Thesis (M.S.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Mechanical Engineering. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.