EFFECT OF SUPERSOLIDUS LIQUID PHASE SINTERING ON THE MICROSTRUCTURE AND DENSIFICATION OF THE Al-Cu-Mg PREALLOYED POWDER

The supersolidus liquid phase sintering characteristics of commercial 2024 pre-alloyed powder was studied at different sintering conditions. Pre-alloyed 2024 aluminum alloy powder was produced via air atomizing process with particle size of less than 100 µm. The solidus and liquidus temperatures of the produced alloy were determined using differential thermal analysis (DTA). The sintering process was performed at various temperatures ranging from the solidus to liquidus temperatures in dry N2 gas atmosphere for 30 min in a tube furnace. The maximum density of the 2024 aluminum alloy was obtained at 610ºC which yields parts with a relative density of 98.8% of the theoretical density. The density of the sintered samples increased to the maximum 99.3% of the theoretical density with the addition of 0.1 wt. %Sn powder to the 2024 pre-alloyed powder. The maximum density was obtained at 15% liquid volume fraction for both powder mixtures.