• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.47 no.8
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• pp.488-493
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• 2009

Direct syntheses of bulk $Ti_3Al$ via electro-discharge-sintering (EDS) of a stoichiometric elemental powder mixture were investigated. A capacitor bank of $450{\mu}F$ was charged with three input energies, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 kJ. The charged capacitor bank was then instantaneously discharged through 0.3 g of a Ti-25.0 at.%Al powder mixture for consolidation. Complete phase transformation occurred in less than $200{\mu}sec$ by the discharge and a bulk $Ti_3Al$ compact was obtained. Compared with consolidated samples fabricated by conventional methods such as high vacuum sintering and casting, the electro-discharge-sintered $Ti_3Al$ compact shows a very fine microstructure with a hardness value of 425 Hv. Electro-discharge-sintering under a $N_2$ atmosphere successfully modified the surface Ti oxide of the $Ti_3Al$ compact into Ti nitride, which concurred with the synthesis and consolidation of $Ti_3Al$. Complete conversion yielding a single phase $Ti_3Al$ is primarily dominated by the fast solid state diffusion reaction.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.12 no.5 s.52
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• pp.325-331
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• 2005

Implant prototypes with various porosities were fabricated by electro-discharge-sintering of atomized spherical Ti-6Al-4V powders. Single pulse of 0.75 to 2.0 kJ/0.7 g-powder, using 150, 300, and $450{\mu}F$ capacitors was applied to produce a fully porous and porous surfaced implant compact. The solid core formed in the center of the compact after discharge was composed of acicular ${\alpha}+{\beta}$ grains and porous layer consisted of particles connected in three dimensions by necks. The solid core and neck sizes increased with an increase in input energy and capacitance. On the other hand, pore volume decreased with increased capacitance and input energy due to the formation of solid core. Capacitance and input energy are the only controllable discharge parameters even though the heat generated during a discharge is the unique parameter that determines the porosity of compact. It is known that electro-discharge-sintering of spherical Ti-6Al-4V powders can efficiently produce fully-porous and porous surfaced Ti-6Al-4V implants with various porosities in a short time less then 400 isec by manipulating the discharging condition such as input energy and capacitance including powder size.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.12 no.5 s.52
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• pp.332-335
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• 2005

Porous and porous surfaced Ti-6Al-4V implant compacts were fabricated by electro-discharge-sintering (EDS) of atomized spherical Ti-6Al-4V powders with a diameter of $100-150\;{\mu}m$, The solid core formed in the center of the compact after discharge was composed of acicular ${\alpha}+{\beta}$ Widmanstatten grains, The hardness value at the solid core was much higher than that at the particle interface or particles in the porous layer, which can be attributed to both heat treatment and work hardening effects induced from EDS, The compressive yield strength was in a range of 19 to 436 MPa which significantly depends on both input energy and capacitance, Selected porous-surfaced Ti-6Al-4V implant compacts with a solid core have much higher compressive strengths compared to the human teeth and sintered Ti dental implants.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.47 no.10
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• pp.660-666
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• 2009

The consolidation of mechanical alloyed $Ti_5Si_3$ powder by electro-discharge-sintering has been investigated. A single pulse of 2.5 to 8.0 kJ/0.34 g was applied to each powder mixture using 300 and $450{\mu}F$ capacitors. A bulk-like solid with $Ti_5Si_3$ phase has been successfully fabricated by the discharge with an input energy of more than 2.5 kJ in less than $160{\mu}sec$. Micro-Vickers hardness was found to be higher than 1350, which is significantly higher than that of a conventional high temperature sintered sample. The formation of $Ti_5Si_3$ and consolidation occurred through a fast solid state diffusion reaction.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.376-381
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• 2013

Spherical Ti-6Al-4V powders in the size range of 250 and 300 ${\mu}m$ were uniformly doped with nano-sized hydroxyapatite (HAp) powders by Spex milling process. A single pulse of 0.75-2.0 kJ/0.7 g of the Ti-6Al-4V powders doped with HAp from 300 mF capacitor was applied to produce fully porous and porous-surfaced Ti-6Al-4V implant compact by electro-discharge-sintering (EDS). The solid core was automatically formed in the center of the compact after discharge and porous layer consisted of particles connected in three dimensions by necks. The solid core increased with an increase in input energy. The compressive yield strength was in a range of 41 to 215 MPa and significantly depended on input energy. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectrometer were used to investigate the surface characteristics of the Ti-6Al-4V compact. Ti and O were the main constituents, with smaller amount of Ca and P. It was thus concluded that the porous-surfaced Ti-6Al-4V implant compacts doped with HAp can be efficiently produced by manipulating the milling and electro-discharge-sintering processes.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.173-177
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• 2006

Porous surfaced Ti implant compacts were fabricated by electro-discharging-sintering (EDS) of atomized spherical Ti powders. Powders of $50-100{\mu}m$ in diameter were vibratarily settled into a quarts tube and subject to a high voltage and high density current pulse in Ar atmosphere. Single pulse of 0.7 to 2.0 kJ/0.7 gpowder, from 150, 300, and $450{\mu}F$ capacitors was applied in less than $400{\mu}sec$ to produce twelve different porous-surfaced Ti implant compacts. The solid core formed in the center of the compact shows similar microstructure of cp Ti which was annealed and quenched in water. Hardness value at the solid core was much higher than that at the particle interface and particles in the porous layer, which can be attributed to both heat treatment and work hardening effects induced by EDS. Compression tests were made to evaluate the mechanical properties of the EDS compacts. The compressive yield strength was in a range of 12 to 304MPa which significantly depends on input energy. Selected porous-surfaced Ti-6Al-4V dental implant compacts with a solid core have much higher compressive strengths compared to the human teeth and sintered Ti dental implants fabricated by conventional sintering process.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.149-158
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• 2011

Electro-Discharge Sintering (EDS) employs a high-voltage/high-current-density pulse of electrical energy, discharged from a capacitor bank, to instantaneously consolidate powders. In the present study, a single pulse of 0.57-1.1 kJ/0.45 g-atomized spherical $Ti_{52}Zr_{28}Ni_{20}$ powders in size range of 10~30 and $30\sim50{\mu}m$ consisting of ${\beta}$-(Ti, Zr) and icosahedral phases were applied to examine the structural evolution of icosahedral phase during EDS. Structural investigation reveals that high electrical input energy facilitates complete decomposition of icosahedral phase into C14 laves and ${\beta}$-(Ti, Zr) phases. Moreover, critical input energy inducing decomposition of the icosahedral phase during EDS depends on the size of the powder. Porous Ti and W compacts have been fabricated by EDS using rectangular and spherical powders upon various input energy at a constant capacitance of $450{\mu}F$ in order to verify influence of powder shape on microstructure of porous compacts. Besides, generated heat (${\Delta}H$) during EDS, which is measured by an oscilloscope, is closely correlated with powder size.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.12 no.6 s.53
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• pp.447-452
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• 2005

The synthesis and consolidation of titanium silicide by electro-discharge-sintering has been investigated. As-received Ti powder was in flaky shape and the mean particle size was $45.0{\mu}m$, whereas the mean particle size of the pre-milled Si powder with angular shape was $8.0{\mu}m$. Single pulse of 2.5 to 5.0 kJ/0.34g-elemental Ti and pre-milled Si powder mixture with the composition of $Ti-37.5at.\%$ Si was applied using $300{\mu}F$ capacitor. The solid with $Ti_5Si_3$ phase has been successfully fabricated by the discharge with the input energy more than 2.5kJ in less than $129{\mu}sec.$ Hv values were found to be higher than $1000kgf/mm^2$. The formation of $Ti_5Si_3$ occurred through a fast solid state diffusion reaction.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.221-226
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• 2012

Purpose: This study was performed to compare mechanical properties for sintering methods of porous Ti implants. Methods: The specimens of Ti implant were fabricated by several sintering methods. One of them is spark plasma sintering(SPS). Another is electro discharge singering(EDS) and the other is high vacuum sintering(HVS). Mechanical properties of porous Ti implants were evaluated by universal testing machine(UTM) and their fracture surface was examined under a sanning electron microscope(SEM). Results: The tensile strength was in a range of 71 to 230 MPa, and Young's modulus was in a range of 11 to 21 Gpa. It matched with range of cortical bone. Conclusion: Mechanical properties of porous Ti implants were similar to human bone. It was shown that sintering methods of spherical powders can efficiently produce porous Ti implants with various porosities. Porous metals will be commonly used in orthopedic and dental application despite of initial focus has been on bioceramics.

• Proceedings of the Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.103-103
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• 2005