NEAR-NET SHAPE PROCESSING OF TIAL INTERMETALLIC COMPOUNDS VIA PSEUDOHIP-SHS ROUTE

gamma-Titanium aluminide (TiAl) is well known to have excellent potential for high temperature structural applications. The self propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) process has been expected to provide new fabrication routes for intermetallic materials. In recent years, considerable research on the reactive sintering process has been carried out for near-net shaping of intermetallics. In this study, we present a new fabrication route based on a combination of pseudoHIP and SHS to produce TiAl intermetallic compounds with the controlled microstructure and improved deformability. Reactive bonding of TiAl compounds also can be achieved by the SHS process, in particular, by use of pseudoHIP-SHS. It should be emphasized that the combination of pseudoHIP and SHS is effective in utilizing the heat release and transient liquid phase involved in SHS to obtain near-net shape products of TiAl intermetallic compounds with a high material density.