The Porous TiNb₂₄Zr₄ Alloys with Controllable Porosity Fabricated by Conventional Sintering

Abstract

In the present study, porous titanium alloys were fabricated successfully by mixing titanium, niobium, and zirconium powder with pore-forming agent of ammonium bicarbonate via conventional sintering method. The pore characteristics, such as pore morphology and distribution, mean pore size and porosity of prepared porous TiNb24Zr4alloy were investigated by optical microscopy, image processing and density determination. It was found that the pore characteristics mainly depended on the shape and size of used ammonium bicarbonate particles in present study. The porosity of the alloys could be tailored by controlling the amount of ammonium bicarbonate addition. The porous TiNb24Zr4alloys were near β type titanium alloys, which consisted mainly of β phase and a little of α phase. The amount of α phase increased in the porous alloys due to segregation caused by the addition of pore-forming agent.