Engineering The Microstructure And Mechanical Properties Of Pm Titanium Alloys To Meet Demanding Applications While Maintaining The Cost Benefits Of Pm

Powder metallurgical (PM) processing is an extremely attractive near-net-shape (NNS) alternative to conventional melt and wrought processes for producing titanium alloys, as it has the potential to reduce cost greatly. Nevertheless, PM titanium has traditionally been plagued with undesirable microstructures and inferior mechanical properties, unless energy-intensive sintering or postprocessing methods are utilized. Recent work at the University of Utah and the United States Army Research Laboratory on the Hydrogen Sintering and Phase Transformation (HSPT) process has produced Ti-6Al-4V with a range of wrought-like microstructures and mechanical properties, including fatigue performance. This was achieved using a low-energy press-and-sinter process and simple pressureless heat treatments without any mechanical working, which would otherwise sacrifice the NNS capability of PM. As such, this process is a promising development for truly low-cost and NNS PM processing of titanium alloys.