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Background Potential Applications of FGMs The Origin of FGMs Bulk FGMs Wear Resistant FGMs The Impeller Dry Blending (IDB) Process What is Unique About IDB? Controlled Segregation Controlled Blending Use of Controlled Blending
Background
A functionally graded material (FGM) is a two-component composite characterised by a compositional gradient from one component to the other. In contrast, traditional composites are homogeneous mixtures, and they therefore involve a compromise between the desirable properties of the component materials. Since significant proportions of an FGM contain the pure form of each component, the need for compromise is eliminated. The properties of both components can be fully utilised. For example, the toughness of a metal can be mated with the refractoriness of a ceramic, without any compromise in the toughness of the metal side or the refractoriness of the ceramic side.
Bulk FGMs
However, most of the extreme environment applications for FGMs require bulk FGMs, i.e., FGMs with gradient breadth in the order of millimeters to centimeters, and with continuous gradient profiles. Bulk FGMs remain merely a hypothesis. No commercially viable process has yet been developed to make such a material. While the scientific literature abounds in papers on the modeling of the hypothetical properties of bulk FGMs, the few proposed fabrication methods are labour-intensive specialised laboratory techniques, not lowcost commercial processes.
There would be little point in developing such a material unless it could compete commercially with the wearresistant ceramics currently on the market, which range from tens to hundreds of dollars per kilogram, with alumina at the bottom end and imported tungsten carbide at the top end of this range. Unless this can be achieved, the potential benefits of bulk wear-resistant tiles of metal-ceramic FGMs will remain an unrealised possibility.
Controlled Segregation
A number of laboratory reports have been published on fabrication processes for bulk FGMs. These approaches have mostly involved some sort of controlled segregation approach, i.e., separating a mixture of metal and ceramic powders into a graded profile on the basis of density. In controlled segregation, the driving force for gradation is the action of gravity on the difference in true density of the component powders. Segregation is a slow process with poor gradient control because segregation rates depend strongly on the particle size and morphology of the specific raw materials used. To date, most published papers on bulk FGMs have involved a segregation approach, for example, sedimentation forming, slip casting, centrifugal casting, and thixotropic casting.
Controlled Blending
In controlled blending, the two FGM components are blended during forming and the ratio is continuously varied from 100% component 1 through to 100% component 2 (or variation thereof). This approach potentially offers the unique advantage of being able to produce precisely controllable regular functional gradients independent of the system-inherent issues of powder density and gravitational settling mechanisms. Also, unlike segregation, controlled blending enables very rapid processing rates.
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