Ik-Hyun Oh

Microstructure and biocompatibility of composite biomaterials fabricated from titanium and tricalcium phosphate by spark plasma sintering

Important issues in developing hydroxyapatite (HAp)- and titanium (Ti)-based composite biomaterials for orthopedic or dental devices include the dissociation of HAp during fabrication and its influences in the microstructure and biocompatibility of the final composite. During the densification by sintering of HAp/Ti composites, Ti reacts with -OH freed from HAp to form TiO2 thus dissociated HAp into Ca3(PO4)2, CaO, CaTiO3, TiP, and so forth. To inhibit this reaction, composites were fabricated with Ti and 30, 50, and 70 vol % β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) instead of HAp by spark plasma sintering at 1200°C. It has been observed that after sintering at 1200°C, Ti also reacted with TCP, but unlike HAp/Ti composites, the final TCP/Ti composites contained significant amounts of unreacted TCP and Ti phases. The initial 70 vol % TCP/Ti composite showed compressive strength of 388.5 MPa, Youngs modulus of 3.23 GPa, and Vickers hardness of 361.9 HV after sintering. The in vitro cytotoxicity and proliferation of osteoblast cells on the composites surfaces showed that the addition of a higher amount of TCP with Ti was beneficial by increasing cell viability, cell-composite attachment and proliferation. Osteopontin and collagen type II protein expression from osteoblasts cultured onto the 70% TCP-Ti composite was also higher than other composites and pure Ti. In vivo study verified that within 3 months of implantation in an animal body, 70% TCP-Ti had an excellent bone-implant interface compared with a pure Ti metal implant.

Effects of Macrophage on Biodegradation of β-tricalcium Phosphate Bone Graft Substitute

Various calcium phosphate bioceramics are distinguished by their excellent biocompatibility and osteoconductivity. Especially, the exceptional biodegradability of β-TCP makes it a bone graft substitute of choice in many clinical applications. The activation of osteoclasts, differentiated from macrophage precursor cells, trigger a cell-mediated resorption mechanism that renders β-TCP biodegradable. Based on this evidence, we studied the biodegradation process of granular-type β-TCP bone graft substitute through in vitro and in vivo studies. Raw 264.7 cells treated with RANKL and M-CSF differentiated into osteoclasts with macrophage-like properties, as observed with TRAP stain. These osteoclasts were cultured with β-TCP nano powders synthesized by microwaveassisted process. We confirmed the phagocytosis of osteoclasts by observing β-TCP particles in their phagosomes via electron microscopy. No damage to the osteoclasts during phagocytosis was observed, nor did the β-TCP powders show any sign of cytotoxicity. We also observed the histological changes in subcutaneous tissues of rats implanted with granule-type β-TCP synthesized by fibrous monolithic process. The β-TCP bone graft substitute was well surrounded with fibrous tissue, and 4 months after implantation, 60% of its mass had been biodegraded. Also, histological findings via H&E stain showed a higher level of infiltration of lymphocytes as well as macrophages around the granule-type β-TCP. From the results, we have concluded that macrophages play an important role in the biodegradation process of β-TCP bone graft substitutes.

A Study on the Weldability and Mechanical Characteristics of Dissimilar Materials Butt Joints by Laser Assisted Friction Stir Welding

* 조선대학교 공과대학 선박해양공학과 ** 조선대학교 대학원 선박해양공학과 *** 한국생산기술연구원 동력부품센터 **** 조선이공대학 선박해양·기계과 Abstract This study intends to investigate the weldability and mechanical characteristics of butt weld joints by LAFSW for dissimilar materials (Al6061-T6 and SS400). At optimum welding conditions, the tensile strength of dissimilar materials joints made by FSW is found to be lower than that of LAFSW. Due to the increase in plastic flow and formation of finer recrystallized grains at the TMAZ and SZ by laser preheating in LAFSW, the hardness in LAFSW appeared to be higher than that of FSW. Compared with FSW, finer grain size is observed and elongated grains in parent metal are deformed in the same direction around the nugget zone in TMAZ of Al6061-T6 by LAFSW. Whereas, at weld nugget zone, coarse grain size is appeared in LAFSW compared to FSW, which is owing to more plastic flow due to laser preheating effect. In dissimilar materials joints by LAFSW, ductile mode of fracture is found to occur at Al6061 side with fewer brittle particles. Mixed mode of cleavage area and ductile fracture is observed at SS400 side.

Effect of Heat Treatment Environment on the Properties of Cold Sprayed Cu-15 at.%Ga Coating Material for Sputtering Target

This study attempted to manufacture a Cu-15 at.%Ga coating layer via the cold spray process and investigated the effect of heat treatment environment on the properties of cold sprayed coating material. Three kinds of heat treatment environments, +argon, pure argon, and vacuum were used in this study. Annealing treatments were conducted at /1 hr. With the cold sprayed coating layer, pure -Cu and small amounts of were detected in the XRD, EDS, EPMA analyses. Porosity significantly decreased and hardness also decreased with increasing annealing temperature. The inhomogeneous dendritic microstructure of cold sprayed coating material changed to the homogeneous and dense one (microstructural evolution) with annealing heat treatment. Oxides near the interface of particles could be reduced by heat treatment especially in vacuum and argon environments. Vacuum environment during heat treatment was suggested to be most effective one to improve the densification and purification properties of cold sprayed Cu-15 at.%Ga coating material.

Effect of Heat Treatment Environment on the Densification of Cold Sprayed Ti Coating Layer

This study investigated the effects of annealing environment for the densification and purification properties of pure titanium coating layer manufactured by cold spraying. The annealing was conducted at /1 h and three kinds of environments of vacuum, Ar gas, and mixture gas were controlled. Cold sprayed Ti coating layer (as sprayed) represented 6.7% of porosity and 228 HV of hardness, showing elongated particle shapes (severe plastic deformation) perpendicular to injection direction. Regardless of gas environments, all thermally heat treated coating layers consisted of pure -Ti and minimal oxide. Vacuum environment during heat treatment represented superior densification properties (3.8% porosity, 156.7 HV) to those of Ar gas (5.3%, 144.5 HV) and mixture gas (5.5%, 153.1 HV). From the results of phase analysis (XRD, EPMA, SEM, EDS), it was found that the vacuum environment during heat treatment could be effective for reducing oxide contents (purification) in the Ti coating layer. The characteristic of microstructural evolution with heat treatment was found to be different at three different gas environments. The controlling method for improving densification and purification in the cold sprayed Ti coating material was also discussed.

Effects of Powder Morphology and Powder Preheating on the Properties and Deposition Behavior of Titanium Coating Layer Manufactured by Cold Spraying

Cold spray deposition using Titanium powder was carried out to investigate the effects of powder morphology and powder preheating on the coating properties such as porosity and hardness. The in-flight particle velocity of Ti powder in cold spray process was directly measured using the PIV (particle image velocimetry) equipment. Two types of powders (spherical and irregular ones) were used to manufacture cold sprayed coating layer. The results showed that the irregular morphology particle appeared higher in-flight particle velocity than that of the spherical one under the same process condition. The coating layer using irregular morphology powder represented lower porosity level and higher hardness. Two different preheating conditions (no preheating and preheating at ) were used in the process of cold spraying. The porosity decreased and the hardness increased by conducting preheating at . It was found that the coating properties using different preheating conditions were dependent not on the particle velocity but on the deformation temperature of particle. The deposition mechanism of particles in cold spray process was also discussed based on the experimental results of in flight-particle velocity.

Fabrication and Evaluation of Tantalum Compacts for Sputtering Target Application

In this study, tantalum (Ta) compacts were fabricated in a spark plasma sintering (SPS) process and their microstructure and mechanical properties were investigated. Ta compacts with a density of 99% were successfully fabricated by controlling the sintering conditions of the current and the temperature. The density and hardness were increased as the sintering temperature increased. The compound was observed at the surface of the compacts due to the contact between the Ta powder and graphite mold during the sintering process. The main fracture mode showed a mixed type with intergranular and transgranular modes having some roughness. ࠀ

Manufacturing and Macroscopic Properties of Cold Sprayed Cu-Ga Coating Material for Sputtering Target

This study attempted to manufacture a Cu-Ga coating layer via the cold spray process and to investigate the applicability of the layer as a sputtering target material. In addition, changes made to the microstructure and properties of the layer due to annealing heat treatment were evaluated, compared, and analyzed. The results showed that coating layers with a thickness of 520 mm could be manufactured via the cold spray process under optimal conditions. With the Cu-Ga coating layer, the -Cu and were found to exist inside the layer regardless of annealing heat treatment. The microstructure that was minute and inhomogeneous prior to thermal treatment changed to homogeneous and dense with a more clear division of phases. A sputtering test was actually conducted using the sputtering target Cu-Ga coating layer (~2 mm thickness) that was additionally manufactured via the cold-spray coating process. Consequently, this test result confirmed that the cold sprayed Cu-Ga coating layer may be applied as a sputtering target material.

Mechanical and microstructural characteristics of the dissimilar materials butt joints by hybrid CO2 laser-gas metal arc welding

This paper intends to present the applicability of hybrid [CO2 laser+gas metal arc (GMA)] welding process to dissimilar materials AH32 and STS304L by clarifying the mechanical and microstructural characteristics of hybrid welded joints. In order to observe the mechanical phenomena on dissimilar material hybrid welded butt joints, two-dimensional thermal elastoplastic numerical analysis has been carried out. For this, the quasistate heat source model for simulation has been determined considering the hybrid welding characteristics. Based on the thermal history obtained by using this heat source model, the residual stress distribution in welded joints is predicted and found to be in reasonable agreement with the experimentally measured values. The result shows that maximum welding residual stress in longitudinal direction (σzz) in dissimilar material (AH32-STS304L) welded joints has occurred in the STS304L side by about 5% than in the AH32 side of welded joints. However, the equivalent stress of dissimilar ...

Fabrication and Mechanical Properties of ultra fine WC-6wt.%Co by Spark Plasma Sintering Process

Using the spark plasma sintering process (SPS process), the WC-6wt.%Co hard materials were densified using an ultra fine WC-Co powder. The WC-Co was almost completely dense with a relative density of up to 100% after the simultaneous application of a pressure of 60 MPa and the DC pulse current for 3 min without any significant change in the grain size. The average grain size of WC that was produced through this experiment was about 0.2~0.8 μm. The hardness and fracture toughness were about 1816 kg/mm and 15.1 MPa·m, respectively, for 60 MPa at 1200°C. (Received September 30, 2010)