Acquisition of Thermal Analysis Equipment for Engineering Materials

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A thermal analysis instrument for research on materials processing is to be acquired for studies on the fabrication of powder structures into net-shaped components. The device is designed for the observation of volatile processing-aid burnout during heating to the sintering temperature. It will be applied to injection molded and die compacted structures, where lubricants, contaminants, moisture, or other volatile species are present on the powder surface. Proper thermal cycle design requires knowledge on the type, amount, and temperature where the volatile species exit the compact, allowing thermal cycle definition in both research and production equipment. The instrumentation will allow examination of actual components in realistic processing atmospheres, with simultaneous analysis of the heat flow, chemical reactions, and decomposition species. It will be most useful in the design of efficient cycles and effective polymers for powder processing, with improved properties and dimensional tolerances in sintered devices. This equipment award will provide researchers in materials processing and characterization the opportunity to determine optimized conditions for the manufacturing of sintered products.