COMPRESSIVE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF POROUS TI-6AL-4V WITH PALM STEARIN BINDER SYSTEM

Most Ti-6Al-4V implant used today are often much stiffer than human bone. However, the young modulus of those Ti-6Al-4V implants can be reduced through the formation of porous structure. Palm stearin binder system with an addition of sodium chloride as space holder has been established in the fabrication of porous Ti-6Al-4V. Thus, this paper focuses on the compressive mechanical properties of porous Ti-6Al-4V with utilization of palm stearin binder system along with sodium chloride (NaCl) as the space holder. The evaluated compositions consist of the powder volume fraction of 63vol% and 65vol%. The samples were compacted by thermal compacting machine at temperature of 160oC. Two different debinding processes involved, which are heptane solvent and water leaching. Then the samples were sintered up to three different temperatures, which are 1200oC, 1250oC and 1300oC. Mechanical properties of the porous Ti-6Al-4V were characterized by axial compression testing. The maximum compressive stress and Young’s modulus of the samples were determined to be 403.87MPa and 9.92GPa.