POWDER METALLURGY: SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATIONS

This textbook is written primarily for undergraduate and postgraduate students of metallurgical and materials engineering to provide them with an insight into the emerging technology of powder metallurgy as an alternative route to conventional metal processing. It will also be useful to students of materials science, mechanical engineering and production engineering to understand and appreciate the importance of powder metallurgy as an effective and profitable material processing route to produce a variety of products for engineering industries. The book will enable the students as well as practising engineers to understand and practise the science and technology of powder production and processing, as well as to choose the right method to suit the application in hand. The various techniques used for powder production and the versatile nature of these techniques to produce a wide range of powders have been highlighted with suitable examples. Characterization of powders and subsequent compaction methods have been discussed with due reference to the final application. Novel consolidation techniques for advanced applications have been dealt with. Sintering of the compacts and the mechanisms involved in sintering have been discussed in detail. The book covers most of the recent developments in powder metallurgy such as atomization, mechanical alloying, self-propagating high-temperature synthesis, metal injection moulding and hot isostatic pressing. Questions and problems have been given at the end of each chapter. A glossary of relevant terms in powder metallurgy has also been included for ready reference.