Novel combination of processes for the production of titanium aluminide-based components in an oxygen-free atmosphere

The central aim of the sub-project is to develop a process chain that is carried out under extremely high vacuum (XHV) conditions and thus avoids contamination with oxygen. This should improve the material properties of oxygen-affine powders after each process step. Within this process chain, the processes of grinding, die pressing, sintering and forming and their effects on the material are investigated. Titanium aluminide powder (TiAl) is to be considered as an application due to its oxygen affinity and simultaneously high property sensitivity depending on the oxygen content.

The basis for the various processes is the guarantee of an atmosphere suitable for XHV for each process step. The grinding, die pressing and sintering processes are carried out in a closed area. For forming, the TiAl powder is filled into capsules in an atmosphere suitable for XHV and sealed gas-tight. The knowledge gained includes, among other things: insights into the process-dependent mechanisms of action on the particle surfaces, interactions of the oxide-free surfaces on the process properties and the correlation between manufacturing parameters and material properties. At the end of the project, this process chain will be compared with the previously established processing routes (FAST and HIP).