Low Cost Titanium Components for Armor and Structures

In Phase I of the proposed program the term of ADMA Products Inc. Twinsburg, OH and the University of Idaho, Moscow, ID demonstrated the ability to produce low cost Ti-6A1-4V powder and are now evaluating plate produced via a powder metallurgy approach.Seven potentially low cost powder types were evaluated. (1) crushed Ti-6A1-4V machine turnings which were crushed after hydrogenation (2) crushed CP titanium turnings which were also crushed after hydrogenation, (3) Ti-6A1-4V powder produced by POLAD,Russia by direct reduction of TiO2 by CaH2, (4) powder produced from titanium sponge fines by hydrogenation-dehydrogenation (HDH) process, (5) PREP powder produced by Star Tech Metals. (6) titanium swarfs and (7) powder produced by a mechanochemicaldisplacement reaction induced by mechanical alloying. Three of these powders were produced and evaluated at no cost to the program. Plates are being fabricated using a low-cost loose powder sintering approach. In some cases using the thermohydrogenprocessing approach to enhance processability and refine the final microstructure. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the plates will be determined. In the Phase I option, oxygen levels and microstructure of plates will be varied andmechanical properties of the fabricated plates will be evaluated. All of this information will be available at the time of initiation of the phase II program. In Phase II the optimum approaches from Phases I and the Phase I option will be scaled up andcomponents tentatively selected as the Crusader Recuperator Mechanism Sleeve and Recoil Tube Sleeve plus the Bradley Fighting Vehicle Hatch, and a number of components from an internal combustion engine (valves and connecting rods) will be fabricated. Inaddition. plates suitable for ballistic testing will be supplied to the Army for evaluation.