Recently, considerable attention has been given to nickel-based superalloys used in additive manufacturing. However, additive manufacturing is limited by a slow build rate in obtaining optimal densities. In this study, optimal volumetric energy density (VED) was calculated using optimal process parameters of IN718 provided by additive manufacturing of laser powder-bed fusion. The laser power and scan speed were controlled using the same ratio to maintain the optimal VED and achieve a fast build rate. Cube samples were manufactured using seven process parameters, including an optimal process parameter. Analysis was conducted based on changes in density and melt-pool morphology. At a low laser power and scan speed, the energy applied to the powder bed was proportional to and not . At a high laser power and scan speed, a curved track was formed due to Plateau-Rayleigh instability. However, a wide melt-pool shape and continuous track were formed, which did not significantly affect the density. We were able to verify the validity of the VED formula and succeeded in achieving a 75% higher build rate than that of the optimal parameter, with a slight decrease in density and hardness.

The green body of WC-Co cemented carbides containing polymeric binders such as paraffin, polyethylene glycol (PEG), and polyvinyl acetate (PVA) are prepared. The green density of the WC-Co cemented carbides increases with the addition of binders, with the exception of PVA, which is known to be a polar polymeric substance. The green strength of the WC-Co cemented carbides improves with the addition of paraffin and a mixture of PEG400 and PEG4000. In contrast, the green strength of the WC-Co does not increase when PEG400 and PEG4000 is added individually. The compressive strength of the green body increases to 14 MPa, and the machinability of the green body improves when more than 4–6 wt% paraffin and a mixture of PEG400 and PEG4000 is used. Simultaneously, the sintered density of WC-Co is as high as 99% relative density, similar to a low binder addition of 1–2 wt%.

The process optimization of directed energy deposition (DED) has become imperative in the manufacture of reliable products. However, an energy-density-based approach without a sufficient powder feed rate hinders the attainment of an appropriate processing window for DED-processed materials. Optimizing the processing of DEDprocessed Ti-6Al- 4V alloys using energy per unit area (E_eff) and powder deposition density (PDD_eff) as parameters helps overcome this problem in the present work. The experimental results show a lack of fusion, complete melting, and overmelting regions, which can be differentiated using energy per unit mass as a measure. Moreover, the optimized processing window (E_eff = 44~47 J/mm² and PDD_eff = 0.002~0.0025 g/mm²) is located within the complete melting region. This result shows that the Eeff and PDDeff-based processing optimization methodology is effective for estimating the properties of DED-processed materials.

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• Cryogenic Tensile Behavior of Ferrous Medium-entropy Alloy Additively Manufactured by Laser Powder Bed Fusion
  Seungyeon Lee, Kyung Tae Kim, Ji-Hun Yu, Hyoung Seop Kim, Jae Wung Bae, Jeong Min Park
  journal of Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute.2024; 31(1): 8.     CrossRef

In this study, a ZnS film of 8-mm thickness was prepared on graphite using a hot-wall-type CVD technique. The ZnS thick film was then hot isostatically pressed under different pressures (125–205 MPa) in an argon atmosphere. The effects of pressure were systematically studied in terms of crystallographic orientation, grain size, density, and transmittance during the HIP process. X-ray diffraction pattern analysis revealed that the preferred (111) orientation was well developed after a pressure of 80 MPa was applied during the HIP process. A high transmittance of 61.8% in HIPZnS was obtained under the optimal conditions (1010°C, 205MPa, 6 h) as compared with a range of approximately 10% for the CVD-ZnS thick film under a 550-nm wavelength. In addition, the main cause of the improvement in transmittance was determined to be the disappearance of the scattering factor due to grain growth and the increase in density.

The conversion of carbon preforms to dense SiC by liquid infiltration is a prospectively low-cost and reliable method of forming SiC-Si composites with complex shapes and high densities. Si powder was coated on top of a 2.0wt .% Y₂O₃-added carbon preform, and reaction bonded silicon carbide (RBSC) was prepared by infiltrating molten Si at 1,450°C for 1-8 h. Reactive sintering of the Y₂O₃-free carbon preform caused Si to be pushed to one side, thereby forming cracking defects. However, when prepared from the Y₂O₃-added carbon preform, a SiC-Si composite in which Si is homogeneously distributed in the SiC matrix without cracking can be produced. Using the Si + C → SiC reaction at 1,450°C, 3C and 6H SiC phases, crystalline Si, and Y₂O₃ were generated based on XRD analysis, without the appearance of graphite. The RBSC prepared from the Y₂O₃-added carbon preform was densified by increasing the density and decreasing the porosity as the holding time increased at 1,450°C. Dense RBSC, which was reaction sintered at 1,450°C for 4 h from the 2.0wt.% Y₂O₃-added carbon preform, had an apparent porosity of 0.11% and a relative density of 96.8%.

The properties of powder metallurgy products are related to their densities. In the present work, we demonstrate a method to apply artificial neural networks (ANNs) trained on experimental data to predict the bulk density of barium titanates. The density is modeled as a function of pressure, press rate, heating rate, sintering temperature, and soaking time using the ANN method. The model predictions with the training and testing data result in a high coefficient of correlation (R² = 0.95 and Pearson’s r = 0.97) and low average error. Moreover, a graphical user interface for the model is developed on the basis of the transformed weights of the optimally trained model. It facilitates the prediction of an infinite combination of process parameters with reasonable accuracy. Sensitivity analysis performed on the ANN model aids the identification of the impact of process parameters on the density of barium titanates.

An artificial neural network (ANN) model is developed for the analysis and simulation of correlation between flake powder metallurgy parameters and properties of AA2024-SiC nanocomposites. The input parameters of the model are AA 2024 matrix size, ball milling time, and weight percentage of SiC nanoparticles and the output parameters are density and hardness. The model can predict the density and hardness of the unseen test data with a correlation of 0.986 beyond the experimental data. A user interface is designed to predict properties at new instances. We have used the model to simulate the individual as well as the combined influence of parameters on the properties. Moreover, we have analyzed the calculated results from the powder metallurgical point of view. The developed model can be used as a guide for further composite development.

Infiltration is a popular technique used to produce valve seat rings and guides to create dense parts. In order to develop valve seat material with a good thermal conductivity and thermal expansion coefficient, Cu-infiltrated properties of sintered Fe-Co-M(M=Mo,Cr) alloy systems are studied. It is shown that the copper network that forms inside the steel alloy skeleton during infiltration enhances the thermal conductivity and thermal expansion coefficient of the steel alloy composite. The hard phase of the CoMoCr and the network precipitated FeCrC phase are distributed homogeneously as the infiltrated Cu phase increases. The increase in hardness of the alloy composite due to the increase of the Co, Ni, Cr, and Cu contents in Fe matrix by the infiltrated Cu amount increases. Using infiltration, the thermal conductivity and thermal expansion coefficient were increased to 29.5 W/mK and 15.9 um/m°C, respectively, for tempered alloy composite.

A lean alloy is defined as a low alloy steel that minimizes the content of the alloying elements, while maintaining the characteristics of the sintered alloy. The purpose of this study is to determine the change in microstructure and mechanical properties due to the addition of silicon or tin in Fe-Mo-P, Fe-Mn-P, and Fe-Mo-Mn-P alloys. Silicon- or tin-added F-Mo-P, Fe-Mn-P, and Fe-Mo-Mn-P master alloys were compacted at 700 MPa and subsequently sintered under a H₂-N₂ atmosphere at 1120°C. The sintered density of three alloy systems decreases under the same compacting pressure due to dimensional expansion with increasing Si content. As the diffusion rate in the Fe-P-Mo system is higher than that in the Fe-P-Mn system, the decrease in the sintered density is the largest in the Fe-PMn system. The sintered density of Sn added alloys does not change with the increasing Sn content due to the effect of non-dimensional changes. However, the effect of Si addition on the transverse rupture strengthening enhancement is stronger than that of Sn addition in these lean alloys.

We report the feasibility of TaC production via self-propagating high temperature synthesis, and the influence of the initial green compact density on the final composite particle size. Experiments are carried out from a minimum pressure of 0.3 MPa, the pressure at which the initial green body becomes self-standing, up to 3 MPa, the point at which no further combustion occurs. The green density of the pellets varies from 29.99% to 42.97%, as compared with the theoretical density. The increase in green density decreases the powder size of TaC, and the smallest particle size is observed with 1.5 MPa, at 10.36 μm. Phase analysis results confirm the presence of the TaC phase only. In the range of 0.3-0.5 MPa, traces of unreacted Ta and C residues are detected. However, results also show the presence of only C residue in the matrix within the pressure range of 0.6-3.0 MPa.

The addition of a large amount of alloying elements reduces the compactibility and increases the compacting pressure, thereby shortening the life of the compacting die and increasing the process cost of commercial PM steel. In this study, the characteristic changes of Fe-Mo-P, Fe-Mn-P, and Fe-Mo-Mn-P alloys are investigated according to the Si contents to replace the expensive elements, such as Ni. All compacts with different Si contents are fabricated with the same green densities of 7.0 and 7.2 g/cm³. The transverse rupture strength (TRS) and sintered density are measured using the specimens obtained through the sintering process. The sintered density tends to decrease, whereas the TRS increases as the Si content increases. The TRS of the sintered specimen compacted with 7.2 g/cm³ is twice as high as that compacted with 7.0 g/cm³.

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• The Effects of Si or Sn on the Sintered Properties of Fe-(Mo,Mn)-P Lean alloy
  Woo-Young Jung, Jin-Uk Ok, Dong-Kyu Park, In-Shup Ahn
  Journal of Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute.2018; 25(4): 302.     CrossRef

Spherical-type zirconia granules are successfully fabricated by a spray-drying process using a water solvent slurry, and the change in the green density of the granule powder compacts is examined according to the organic polymers used. Two organic binders, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), which are dissolved in a water solvent and have different degrees of polymerization, are applied to the slurry with a plasticizer (polyethylene glycol). The granules employing a binder with a higher degree of polymerization (PVA) are not broken under a uniaxial press; consequently, they exhibit a poor green density of 2.4 g/cm³. In contrast, the granule powder compacts employing a binder with a lower degree of polymerization (HEMA) show a higher density of 2.6 g/cm³ with an increase in plasticizer content. The packing behavior of the granule powders for each organic polymer system is studied by examining the microstructure of the fracture surface at different applied pressures.

A lean alloy is defined as a low alloy steel with a minimum amount of the alloying element that maintains the characteristics of the sintered alloy. It is well known that the addition of elements such as Cr, P, Si, or Mn improves the mechanical characteristics of the alloy, but decreases the sinterability. The mother alloy is used to avoid an oxidation reaction with the alloying elements of Cr, P, Si or Mn. The purpose of this study is to determine the change in the mechanical properties of Fe-P-Mo and Fe-P-Mn alloys as a result of the addition of Si. In this article, the Fe-P-Mo and Fe-P-Mn alloys to which Si is added are compacted at 7.0 g/cm³ and then sintered in H₂-N₂ at 1120°C. The P around the macropores and large grains reduces due to the formation of SiO₂ as the Si content increases. This is caused by the increase in strength owing to reducing intergranular fracture by suppressing the reaction with oxygen.

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• The Effects of Si or Sn on the Sintered Properties of Fe-(Mo,Mn)-P Lean alloy
  Woo-Young Jung, Jin-Uk Ok, Dong-Kyu Park, In-Shup Ahn
  Journal of Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute.2018; 25(4): 302.     CrossRef
• Sintering behavior of Fe-(Mo-Mn-P)-xSi alloys according to the Green Density
  Woo-Young Jung, Jin-Uk Ok, Dong-Kyu Park, In-Shup Ahn
  Journal of Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute.2017; 24(5): 400.     CrossRef

Ni(OH)₂ hollow spheres have been prepared by solvent displacement crystallization using a micro-injection device, and the effect of process parameters such as concentration and the relative ratio of the injection speed of the precursor solution, which is an aqueous solution of NiSO₄·6H₂O, to isopropyl alcohol of displacement solvent have been investigated. The crystal phases after NaOH treatment are in the β-phase for all process parameters. A higher concentration of NiSO₄·6H₂O aqueous solution is injected by a micro-injection device and bigger Ni(OH)₂ hollow spheres with a narrower particle size distribution are formed. The crystallinity and hardness of the as-obtained powder are so poor that hydrothermal treatment of the as-obtained Ni(OH)₂ at 120°C for 24 h in distilled water is performed in order to greatly improve the crystallinity. It is thought that a relative ratio of the injection speed of NiSO₄·6H₂O to that of isopropyl alcohol of at least more than 1 is preferable to synthesize Ni(OH)₂ hollow spheres. It is confirmed that this solution- based process is very effective in synthesizing ceramic hollow spheres by simple adjustment of the process parameters such as the concentration and the injection speed.

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• The Effects of Hexamethylenetetramine Concentration on the Structural and Electrochemical Performances of Ni(OH)₂ Powder for Pseudocapacitor Applications
  Dong Yeon Kim, Young-Min Jeong, Seong-Ho Baek, Injoon Son
  Journal of Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute.2019; 26(3): 231.     CrossRef

Niobium is one of the most important and rarest metals, and is used in the electronic and energy industries. However, it’s extremely high melting point and oxygen affinity limits the manufacture of Nb coating materials. Here, a Nb coating material is manufactured using a kinetic spray process followed by hot isotactic pressing to improve its properties. OM (optical microscope), XRD (X-ray diffraction), SEM (scanning electron microscopy), and Vickers hardness and EPMA (electron probe micro analyzer) tests are employed to investigate the macroscopic properties of the manufactured Nb materials. The powder used to manufacture the material has angular-shaped particles with an average particle size of 23.8 μm. The porosity and hardness of the manufactured Nb material are 0.18% and 221 Hv, respectively. Additional HIP is applied to the manufactured Nb material for 4 h under an Ar atmosphere after which the porosity decreases to 0.08% and the hardness increases to 253 Hv. Phase analysis after the HIP shows the presence of only pure Nb. The study also discusses the possibility of using the manufactured Nb material as a sputtering target.