Electrical Explosion Synthesis, Oxidation and Sintering Behavior of Ti-Al Intermetallide Powders

Abstract

In this research, Ti-Al powders were produced by electrical explosion of twisted titanium and aluminum wires. The resulting powders were pressed and sintered in a vacuum to obtain bulk composites. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies were performed to analyze synthesized powders and bulk composites. The studies carried out showed the presence of α-Ti, α2-Ti3Al, and γ-TiAl phases, which are formed by coalescence of Ti and Al clusters formed in the process of non-synchronous electrical explosion of twisted wires. Furthermore, an increase in the energy injected into the wires leads to a decrease in the content of micron particles in the powder. During sintering of pressed Ti-Al powder in the range 800–1250 °C, phase transformations occur due to the diffusion of aluminum atoms towards Ti compounds. The research findings can be used to obtain Ti-Al particles and bulk composites with a controllable phase composition.