Ni Porous Preforms Compacted with Al₂O₃ Particles and Al Binding Agent

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Ceramics Engineering
• Powder Metallurgy

Background:

• Developing energy-efficient materials is crucial for industrial applications.
• Porous preforms are essential for liquid metal infiltration and filtration processes.
• Existing methods for producing such preforms can be expensive and time-consuming.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present an energy-efficient, cost-effective, and rapid method for producing metal-ceramic preforms.
• To investigate the production of porous preforms using cold isostatic pressing and thermal oxidation.
• To evaluate the suitability of these preforms for liquid metal infiltration and filtration.

Main Methods:

• Cold isostatic pressing of Ni, Al2O3, and Al powders.
• Thermal oxidation of green compacts at 600°C, 700°C, and 800°C.
• Analysis of weight gain, open porosity, chemical composition (SEM-EDS, XRD), and thermal cycling stability.

Main Results:

• A stable, porous metal-ceramic preform was successfully produced.
• Ni aluminides and spinel particles contributed to inter-particle bonding during oxidation.
• The Ni-NiO porous composites demonstrated resistance to chemical corrosion and high-temperature stability.
• Admixed Al2O3 particles did not negatively impact the preform's properties.

Conclusions:

• The developed method offers a viable route for producing high-performance metal-ceramic preforms.
• The resulting preforms, when infiltrated with Al, can lead to lower-density materials.
• This technology has the potential to reduce energy consumption in industries such as automotive manufacturing.