Consolidation of metal powders during the extrusion process

The extrusion of metal powders at room temperature without subsequent sintering allows manufacturing of final products with unique microstructures and therefore with unique mechanical properties. In this study, the experimental results of extrusion of both aluminium and copper powders under laboratory conditions are presented and analysed. The main objective of the work is to demonstrate that both aluminium and copper can be consolidated in extrusion from loose powder to highly dense products. The influence of the powder material characteristics and compaction pressures on final density and microstructure are investigated. Quantitative and qualitative metallography has been applied to give more insight into the final porosity level and its distribution within the remaining part of the unextruded billet and within the extrudate. Crown Copyright (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.