Micromechanical studies of the densification of porous molybdenum

The densification by compressive loading of molybdenum containing initially spherical pores at volume fractions between 2 and 10% is studied by a unit cell approach. Model geometries containing pores of two sizes in a body centered cubic arrangement are developed and uniaxial compressive loading is simulated by the Finite Element method. The relative sizes of the pores have a noticeable influence on the overall density versus strain behavior and the smaller voids in a population collapse more rapidly than the larger ones. Contact and bonding between void surfaces are predicted to influence markedly the evolution of the shape of the pores, which is in agreement with experimental results.