Injection molding of micro-porous titanium alloy with space holder technique

The powder space holder (PSH) and powder injection molding (PIM) methods have an industrial competitive advantage because they are capable of the net-shape production of micro-sized porous parts. In this study, micro-porous Ti6Al4V alloy (Ti64) parts were produced by the PSH-PIM process. Ti64 alloy powder and spherical polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) particles were used as a space holder material. After molding, binder debinding was performed by thermal method under inert gas. Debinded samples were sintered at 1250A degrees C for 60 min in a vacuum (10(-4) Pa). Metallographic studies were conducted to determine densification and the corresponding microstructural changes. The surface of sintered samples was examined by SEM. The compressive stress and elastic modulus of the micro-porous Ti64 samples were determined. The effects of fraction of PMMA on the properties of sintered micro-porous Ti64 alloy samples were investigated. It was shown that the fraction of PMMA could be controlled to affect the properties of the Ti alloy.