Deformation enhanced liquid phase sintering (DELPS): a study on the use of partial adiabatic melting during powder consolidation

The presence of a liquid phase enhances the pore closure of a porous body, which is used in liquid phase sintering (LPS). During LPS, a substantial grain growth may occur by coalescence or Ostwald ripening, thus a short time in the liquid state is advantageous. Furthermore, it has been shown that during the initial stage of LPS, agglomerates are disintegrated and a significant reduction of grain size occurs. Heavy deformation causes an adiabatic temperature increase, which may result in a partial melting of the powder. Short-time duration deformation-assisted LPS, so called deformation enhanced LPS (DELPS), may thus be a suitable route for the fabrication of difficult-to-form materials. The present study is a feasibility test of DELPS. Three different types of materials were tested. The first type was an Al–Si with the possibility to form a large fraction of liquid phase. The second type was a W-based powder mixture yielding a low fraction liquid. The third type was a Ni–Al powder mixture exhibiting an exothermal behaviour when reaction occurs. The powders were hot compacted in a flexible die allowing large deformations. The specimens were examined and the composition of the phases were analysed. All of the samples, but one, showed near full density (>98%). Evidence of melting was found and in the W-base and the Ni–Al powder mixtures, and reaction had occurred in the Ni–Al mixture.