Titanium-Coated Aluminum Sintering Material for Porous Compacts

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for producing porous aluminum sintered compacts face challenges in achieving high porosity, sufficient strength, and dimensional accuracy due to oxide films hindering bonding between aluminum base materials and requiring lengthy binder removal processes.

Innovation Solution

An aluminum sintering material comprising aluminum base materials with titanium powder particles fixed to their surfaces, which breaks oxide films during sintering, forming columnar protrusions for bonding and maintaining shape, reducing the need for foaming and minimizing binder usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If oxide films are present on aluminum base material surfaces, then the aluminum can be protected from oxidation, but the bonding between aluminum base materials is hindered

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoxidation protectionVSAvoidbonding strength
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

A silane-based coupling agent is introduced as an intermediary substance between the aluminum base materials. This coupling agent reacts with the oxide films on the aluminum surfaces and forms strong chemical bonds, thereby mediating the bonding process and overcoming the hindrance posed by oxide films while maintaining oxidation protection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The surface chemistry of the aluminum base materials is changed by applying a silane-based coupling agent treatment. This parameter change modifies the surface properties to enable better bonding while preserving the bulk oxidation resistance of the aluminum material.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of manufacture

If a viscous composition with binder is used for shaping, then the aluminum base materials can be formed into desired shapes, but the binder removal treatment becomes lengthy and the shrinkage ratio increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshaping capabilityVSAvoidbinder removal time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The binder component is extracted or eliminated from the composition system. Instead of using a viscous composition with binder, the invention uses a powder mixture that can be shaped through other means, thereby removing the source of the lengthy binder removal treatment and excessive shrinkage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces the persistent binder with a temporary shaping aid that can be easily removed or decomposed, reducing the time required for removal treatment and minimizing the shrinkage ratio during sintering.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Productivity

If aluminum base materials are sintered together, then porous aluminum sintered compact can be produced, but the porosity is insufficient due to bridging portions with hypereutectic structure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesintering efficiencyVSAvoidporosity control
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The chemical composition parameters of the sintering mixture are changed by incorporating specific oxide powders (such as aluminum oxide, silicon oxide, or boron oxide) and controlling the particle size distribution. This parameter change prevents the formation of hypereutectic bridging portions and enables precise control over the porosity of the sintered compact.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses a composite material system combining aluminum base materials with specific oxide powders. This composite approach allows for controlled sintering behavior that produces the desired porosity while maintaining structural integrity, avoiding the formation of unwanted hypereutectic structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach enables the efficient production of porous aluminum sintered compacts with high porosity, sufficient strength, and excellent dimensional accuracy at a lower cost, without the need for additional foaming steps and with reduced shrinkage ratios.

Implementation Method 1

the bonding between the aluminum base materials is hindered by oxide films formed on the surfaces of the aluminum base materials

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOxide film breakdown:

Implementation Method 2

a porous aluminum sintered compact in which a plurality of aluminum base materials are sintered together

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSintering: Sintering

Data Source

PatentEP2962786B1Aluminum material for sintering, method for producing aluminum material for sintering, and method for producing porous aluminum sintered compact
Publication Date: 2018.10.17 MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORP
  • EP2962786B1 patent drawingFigure 1(a)~1(b)
  • EP2962786B1 patent drawingFigure 2(a)~2(d)
  • EP2962786B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~3(d)

AI summary

This aluminum sintering material is an aluminum sintering material that is used for producing a porous aluminum sintered compact in which a plurality of aluminum base materials are sintered together, and the aluminum sintering material includes: the aluminum base materials; and a plurality of titanium powder particles fixed to outer surfaces of the aluminum base materials, wherein the titanium powder particles are composed of either one or both of metallic titanium powder particles and hydrogenated titanium powder particles.