Topics Lecture (h)

Introduction: Development and Scope of powder metallurgy 1

Production of metals and ceramic powder: Mechanical, Physico-chemical and advanced
methods.
Microstructure control in powders Conventional (Alloying, Kinetics, etc) and advanced
technology (Rapid solidification, nano-scale, etc)
5
2
Characterization of powders: Chemical composition, structure, morphology, size and their
determination, Powder flow, compressibility, porosity, apparent and tap density
mearurements.
Treatments of powders/tailoring powders for shaping and consolidations Mechanical,
thermal and chemical processes.
4

3
Modern methods of powder consolidations Conventional pressing, CIP, Injection molding,
Binder assisted processing. Theory of compaction: parametric relationship, characteristics
and compaction technology, compact characterizations. Tooling: Types of presses, die design
and alternative pressing technologies.
8
Sintering: Fundamental theory solid state, liquid phase and related sintering processes,
Sintering furnaces, atmospheres and practical operations.
Full density processing enhanced sintering, infiltrations, hot and cold consolidations, spray
forming.
8
5
Finishing operations Repressing, Machining, Heat treatment, Joining, Surface treatments,
Inspections.
3
Sintered Products Properties and their applications : Structural, Controlled porosity,
Refractory materials, Electrical, Hard materials, Bearing, filters, Friction applications,
Magnetic, Thermal, High temperature, Wear, High and low density applications, Composites.
7
TOTAL 46
PROCESSING BY POWDER METALLURGY TECHNIQUES
In Addition: Some tutorial classes


Recommended Books:
1.Powder Metallurgy Science R. M. German
2.Fundamentals of Ceramic Powder Processing and Synthesis Terry. A.
Ring
3. Powder Metallurgy: Science, Technology and Materials A. Upadhyaya
and G. S. Upadhyaya
POWDER METALLURGY
. . . is a forming technique

Essentially, Powder Metallurgy is an art & science of

producing metal or metallic/alloys/ceramic powders,
and
using them to make finished or semi-finished products
for engineering/other applications.
Particle Size 1m
Nano-powder < 100 nm
Science and Engineering
of Metal
. . . particulate technology is probably the
oldest forming technique known to man

There are archeological evidences to
prove that the ancient man knew
something about it . . .
POWDER METALLURGY
History of it
How did Men make iron in 3000 BC?
Did they have furnaces to melt iron?
IRON Metallurgy >
Quite unlikely, then how ???
Crushed iron ore with charcoal were heated
together in a furnace, with air blasts,
and the reduced material, which would then be
spongy, used to be hammered to a solid or to a near
solid mass. STILL USED TODAY DRI
Example: The IRON PILLER at Delhi
POWDER METALLURGY
The art of pottery, (terracotta), was known to the
pre-historic man (Upper Paleolithic period, around
30,000 years ago)!
Going further back in Time . . .
Dough for making bread is also a powder
material, bound together by water and the inherent
starch in it. Baked bread, in all its variety, is
perhaps one of the first few types of processed food
man ate.
(Roti is a form of bread.)
History of it
POWDER METALLURGY
An important point that comes out :
The entire material need not be melted to fuse it.
The working temperature is well below the melting
point of the major constituent,
It began with Platinum technology about 4 centuries
ago (La Tolita, an ancient archaeological site showed
the presence of Pt metallurgy in ~ 100-200 AD) in
those days, Platinum, [mp = 1774C], was
"refractory", and could not be melted.
Making it a very suitable method to work with refractory
materials, such as: W, Mo, Ta, Nb, oxides, carbides,
Nitrides, silicides, etc.
POWDER METALLURGY
Renaissance of P/M
The modern renaissance of powder metallurgy began
in the early part of last century, when technologists
tried to replace the carbon filament in the Edison lamp.
Franjo Hanaman and Aleksandar Just made world's
first applied electric light-bulb with a metal filament
(tungsten) in 1904 (Hungarian Patent #34541).
The commercially successful method was the one
developed by William Coolidge. He described it in
1910, and got a patent (US#1,082,933) for it in 1913.
This method is still being used for manufacturing
filaments.
Renaissance of P/M
The Wars and the post-war era brought about huge
leaps in science, technology and engineering.

New methods of melting and casting were perfected,
thereby slowly changing the metallurgy of refractory
materials.

P/M techniques have thereafter been used only when
their special properties were needed.
P/M Applications
Electrical Contact materials
Heavy-duty Friction materials
Self-Lubricating Porous bearings
P/M filters
Carbide, Alumina, Diamond cutting tools
Structural parts
P/M magnets
Cermets

and many more . . . such as Hi-Tech parts
Hi-Tech Applications of P/M
Anti-friction products
Friction products
Filters
Make-Break Electrical Contacts
Sliding Electrical Contacts
Very Hard Magnets
Very Soft Magnets
Refractory Material Products
Hard and Wear Resistant Tools
Ferrous & Non-ferrous Structural
parts
Etc . . .
THESE COMPONENTS ARE
USED IN AIR & SPACE
CRAFTS, HEAVY MACHINERY,
COMPUTERS, AUTOMOBILES,
etc
P/M Merits :
o The main constituent need not be melted
o The product is porous - [ note : the porosity can be controlled]
o Constituents that do not mix can be used to make composites,
each constituent retaining its individual property
o Near Nett Shape is possible, thereby reducing the post-
production costs,
therefore, precision parts can be produced
o The production can be fully automated,
therefore, Mass production is possible
Production rate is high
Over-head costs are low
Break even point is not too large
Material loss is small
and Control can be exercised at every stage
P/M Disadvantages :
o Porous !! Not always desired.

o Large components cannot be produced on a large scale
[Why?]

o Some shapes [such as?] are difficult to be produced by
the conventional p/m route.
WHATEVER, THE MERITS ARE SO MANY THAT P/M,
AS A FORMING TECHNIQUE, IS GAINING POPULARITY
P/M Summarizing :

Powder Metallurgy is sought when -

a) It is impossible to form the metal or material by any
other technique
b) When p/m gives unique properties which can be put
to good use
c) When the p/m route is economical


There may be over-lapping of these three points.