Sintered 6061 al prealloyed powder : Processing and mechanical behavior

TLDR: In this paper, the results of a study of an alternative net shape powder processing route, using vacuum degassing, compaction and sintering of a prealloyed 6061 Al powder.

Abstract: The present powder metallurgy production route for sintered aluminum alloy parts is based on the liquid phase sintering of premixed powder compacts. This paper presents the results of a study of an alternative net shape powder processing route, using vacuum degassing, compaction and sintering of a prealloyed 6061 Al powder. The compacting conditions were varied to determine their effects on the green density and green strength of the compacts prepared from the as-received and degassed powders. Using the same compacting conditions, the compacts prepared from the degassed powder were sintered at three different temperatures within the melting range of the alloy to determine the effect of this parameter on sintered density and tensile properties. The degassing was found to increase the green density, and the transverse rupture strength of green compacts was a factor of two greater for the degassed powder. Furthermore, the tensile properties of the degassed and sintered powder compacts were higher than those of equivalent alloys prepared for blended powders and comparable to the tensile properties achieved via degassing and hot extrusion of the prealloyed 6061 Al powder.