Spark Sintering of 7075 Aluminum Alloy and Properties of its Sintered Compact

Abstract

The spark sintering technique is used for the sintering of 7075-rapidly solidified aluminum powder. The various microstructures are obtained by changing of process parameters, such as the maximum sintering temperature, sintering period and cooling method after sintering. The solid soluted amount of main alloying elements increases as the maximum temperature and period increase in the sintering. Various materials sintered at 873K for 10 to 2400 sec show the same behaviour of age-hardening. On the other hand, plastic strain of material increases as the holding period in the sintering at 873K increases, and that of materials sinterd at 873K for 1200sec is same as that of solution treated materials. It is suggested on the basis of value of the plastic strain obtained from tensile test that materials sintered under the conditions of the long exposure and higher temperatures show largely solid-soluted amount of main alloying elements and promotion of sintering.