Consolidation of mechanically alloyed aluminium by double cold-pressing and sintering

The present work describes a new processing route of mechanically alloyed aluminium powder. The attrition milled and degassed powder was processed by a fairly conventional PM method consisting of a double cycle of cold pressing and vacuum sintering. A systematic series of experiments were conducted to find optimum values of compaction pressures and sintering temperatures. The final consolidated compacts have relative densities and mechanical properties (hardness at room temperature and -at high temperature- modulus of rupture, ultimate tensile strength and ductility) comparable to those obtained using well-established hot-working processes.