Alain Couret

This work presents a study of the microstructure and mechanical properties of a TNM⁺ alloy (Ti-43.5Al-4Nb-1Mo-0.1B-0.3C-0.3Si, in at.%) densified by Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS), in comparison to the as-SPSed TNM alloy, which contains neither carbon nor silicon. Tensile tests at room temperature and 800 °C, as well as creep tests at 800 °C and 200 MPa, were performed. The microstructures and the fracture surfaces of deformed samples were studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopies, as well as by X-ray diffraction. The deformation mechanisms were investigated by means of in situ straining experiments and post-mortem analyses of deformed samples, both performed by transmission electron microscopy. Contrary to the TNM alloy, the as-SPSed microstructure of the TNM⁺ alloy does not contain β/β_o phase due to the incorporation of carbon. At room temperature, the TNM⁺ alloy exhibits a yield stress of 520 MPa but a poor ductility of less than 0.1% of plastic strain. The incorporation of carbon and silicon leads to an increase in the creep resistance of the alloy at 800 °C. Despite the fact that iron inclusions are responsible for the premature failure of some samples during tensile tests, the TNM⁺ alloy is found to be able to deform plastically at room temperature by the glide of ordinary dislocations and by twinning.

After a few decades of increasing interest, spark plasma sintering (SPS) has now become a mature powder metallurgy technique, which allows assessing its performances toward fabricating enhanced materials. Here, the case of metals and alloys will be presented. The main advantage of SPS lies in its rapid heating capability enabled by the application of high intensity electric currents to a metallic powder. This presents numerous advantages balanced by some limitations that will be addressed in this review. The first section will be devoted to sintering issues, with an emphasis on the effect of the electric current on the densification mechanisms. Then, typical as-SPS microstructures and properties will be presented. In some cases, they will be compared with that of materials processed by conventional techniques. As such, examples of nanostructured materials, intermetallics, metallic glasses, and high entropy alloys, will be presented. Finally, the implementation of SPS as a technique to manufacture complex, near-net shape industrial parts will be discussed.