Binder Jetting and Infiltration of Metal Matrix Nanocomposites

Abstract The ability to produce a dense part of Al-based metal matrix nanocomposites using binder jetting followed by infiltration was investigated. A green density above 1.58 g/cm3 was determined to be necessary for spontaneous direct liquid infiltration to commence, and a press-compaction-assisted binder jetting process is needed to achieve this benchmark. A green density of 1.64 0.02 g/cm3 only resulted in a density of 1.65 0.03 g/cm3 by sintering at 1050 C, which showed that densification is not possible with sintering alone. However, infiltration with Al-6061 produced specimens with a density of 2.74 0.04 g/cm3, which corresponded to a density improvement of 65%. Moreover, the infiltrated specimens had a low open porosity of 2.71 0.95% and a high hardness of 54 HRA. This study suggests that it is feasible to manufacture parts with complex shapes and superior mechanical properties using binder Jetting followed by infiltration.

Binder Jetting and Infiltration of Metal Matrix Nanocomposites Academic Article