Ziya Esen

Effect of powder metallurgy Cu-B4C electrodes on workpiece surface characteristics and machining performance of electric discharge machining

The main aim of this study is to produce new powder metallurgy (PM) Cu-B4C composite electrode (PM/(Cu-B4C)) capable of alloying the recast workpiece surface layer during electric discharge machining process with boron and other hard intermetallic phases, which eventually yield high hardness and abrasive wear resistance. The surface characteristics of the workpiece machined with a PM/(Cu-B4C) electrode consisted of 20 wt% B4C powders were compared with those of solid electrolytic copper (E/Cu) and powder metallurgy pure copper (PM/Cu) electrodes. The workpiece surface hardness, surface abrasive wear resistance, depth of the alloyed surface layer and composition of alloyed layers were used as key parameters in the comparison. The workpiece materials, which were machined with PM/(Cu-B4C) electrodes, exhibited significantly higher hardness and abrasive wear resistance than those of machined with the E/Cu and PM/Cu. The main reason was the presence of hard intermetallic phases, such as FeB, B4C (formed due to the boron in the electrode) and Fe3C in the surface layer. The improvement of the surface hardness achieved for steel workpiece when using PM/(Cu-B4C) electrodes was significantly higher than that reported in the literature. Moreover, the machining performance outputs (workpiece material removal rate, electrode wear rate and workpiece average surface roughness (Ra)) of the electrodes were also considered in this study.

Characterization of Ti6Al7Nb alloy foams surface treated in aqueous NaOH and CaCl2 solutions.

Ti6Al7Nb alloy foams having 53-73% porosity were manufactured via evaporation of magnesium space holders. A bioactive 1µm thick sodium hydrogel titanate layer, NaxH2-xTiyO2y+1, formed after 5M NaOH treatment, was converted to crystalline sodium titanate, Na2TiyO2y+1, as a result of post-heat treatment. On the other hand, subsequent CaCl2 treatment of NaOH treated specimens induced calcium titanate formation. However, heat treatment of NaOH-CaCl2 treated specimens led to the loss of calcium and disappearance of the titanate phase. All of the aforementioned surface treatments reduced yield strengths due to the oxidation of the cell walls of the foams, while elastic moduli remained mostly unchanged. Accordingly, equiaxed dimples seen on the fracture surfaces of as-manufactured foams turned into relatively flat and featureless fracture surfaces after surface treatments. On the other hand, Ca- and Na-rich coating preserved their mechanical stabilities and did not spall during fracture. The relation between mechanical properties of foams and macro-porosity fraction were found to obey a power law. The foams with 63 and 73% porosity met the desired biocompatibility requirements with fully open pore structures and elastic moduli similar to that of bone. In vitro tests conducted in simulated body fluid (SBF) showed that NaOH-heat treated surfaces exhibit the highest bioactivity and allow the formation of Ca-P rich phases having Ca/P ratio of 1.3 to form within 5 days. Although Ca-P rich phases formed only after 15 days on NaOH-CaCl2 treated specimens, the Ca/P ratio was closer to that of apatite found in bone.

Effect of Sn Alloying on the Diffusion Bonding Behavior of Al-Mg-Si Alloys

Effect of Sn as an alloying element on the diffusion-bonding behavior of Al-Mg-Si alloy has been studied by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and mechanical testing of the diffusion-bonded joint. XRD results revealed the formation of Mg2Sn and (Sn) phases during solidification following induction casting. DSC results showed local liquid (Sn) formation during the bonding process for Sn-containing alloys, where its amount was found to be increasing with the increasing Sn content. Results revealed that Sn addition leads to an increase in the bond shear strength of the diffusion-bonded joints and elimination of the irregularities formed on the bonded interface. Fractured surfaces showed that formation of (Sn) layer at the bonded interface causes the fracture to transform from the ductile to the mixed fracture mode.

Effect of electrical discharge machining on dental Y-TZP ceramic-resin bonding.

PURPOSE The study determined (i) the effects of electrical discharge machining (EDM) on the shear-bond strength (SBS) of the bond between luting resin and zirconia ceramic and (ii) zirconia ceramics flexural strength with the three-point bending (TPB) test. METHODS Sixty 4.8mm×4.8mm×3.2mm zirconia specimens were fabricated and divided into four groups (n=15): SBG: sandblasted+silane, TSCG: tribochemical silica coated+silane, LTG: Er:YAG laser treated+silane, EDMG: EDM+silane. The specimens were then bonded to a composite block with a dual-cure resin cement and thermal cycled (6000 times) prior to SBS testing. The SBS tests were performed in a universal testing machine. The SBS values were statistically analyzed using ANOVA and Tukeys test. To determine flexural strength, sixty zirconia specimens were prepared and assigned to the same groups (n=15) mentioned earlier. After surface treatment TPB tests were performed in a universal testing machine (ISO 6872). The flexural strength values were statistically analyzed using ANOVA and Tukeys test (α=0.05). RESULTS The bond strengths for the four test groups (mean±SD; MPa) were as follows: SBG (Control), 12.73±3.41, TSCG, 14.99±3.14, LTG, 7.93±2.07, EDMG, 17.05±2.71. The bond strength of the EDMG was significantly higher than those of the SBG and LTG (p<0.01). The average flexural strength values for the groups SBG (Control), TSCG, LTG and EDMG were 809.47, 800.47, 679.19 and 695.71MPa, respectively (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS The EDM process improved the SBS. In addition, there was no significant adverse effect of EDM on the flexural strength of zirconia.

Corrosion of Metallic Biomaterials

Metallic materials have been used as biomedical implants for various parts of the human body for many decades. The physiological environment (body fluid) is considered to be extremely corrosive to metallic surfaces; and corrosion is one of the major problems to the widespread use of the metals in the human body since the corrosion products can cause infections, local pain, swelling, and loosening of the implants. Recently, the most common corrosion-resistant metallic biomaterials are made of stainless steels and titanium and its alloys along with cobalt–chromium–molybdenum alloys. It is well known that protective surface films of the alloys play a key role in corrosion of the metallic implants. Key documents on the corrosion behavior of the metallic biomaterials in human body have been compiled under this chapter as a review.

TiNi Reinforced Magnesium Composites by Powder Metallurgy

Rod shaped Mg-TiNi composite samples were manufactured by powder metallurgical route in which the samples were heated and deformed simultaneously using rotary hot swaging technique. Firstly, encapsulated argon filled copper tubes which contained compacts of pure magnesium and pre-alloyed TiNi alloy powder mixtures were deformed about 45% in two steps at 450°C. Pre/post annealing heat treatments were applied at 450°C for 20 mins between the stages of coaxial deformation to enhance the sintering degree and to homogenize the heavily deformed composite structures. Next, copper peeled and machined samples were compression tested under quasi-static conditions to investigate the mechanical properties, i.e. yield and peak strength, and ductility. Transmission and Scanning Electron Microscopy studies were carried out to examine the Mg-TiNi interface and fracture surfaces of the compression tested composites, respectively.