Influence of Powder Size on Pore Characteristics and Intermetallic Phase Kinetics in Porous Ti-Al Alloys

This study investigates the impact of varying powder size on porosity, pore parameters, and intermetallic phase reaction during the reactive sintering of porous TiAl alloys. Ti52Al48 alloys were prepared using coarse (200 mesh) and fine (325 mesh) Ti powders through elemental powder metallurgy and were subsequently sintered at different temperatures, 600 and 1200 °C. Our findings reveal a consistent pore morphology and intermetallic phase microstructure across both alloys. However, samples containing fine Ti powder exhibited a higher number density of small pores compared to those incorporating coarse Ti powders. Additionally, alloys prepared with fine Ti powders demonstrated a higher porosity than those prepared with coarse powders. Consequently, fine Ti powder promoted enhanced diffusion between Ti and Al during sintering, as reflected by the lower onset temperature and enthalpy of intermetallic reaction during sintering.