The Impact of Composition and Sintering Temperature

for Stainless Steel Foams (SS316L) Fabricated

by Space Holder Method with Urea as Space Holder
Zulaikha Abdullah, Sufizar Ahmad, and Musfirah Ramli
Faculty of Mechanical &Manufacturing Engineering, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) 86400 Parit Raja, Batu
Pahat, Johor, Malaysia

Background Study Results and Discussions (cont..)

• Morphological Analysis
• Metal foams are a cellular structure that has a solid matrix made of metal and
has pores in their structure and offer excellent combination of properties. 45 wt.% SS316L at 1000ºC
Formation of Pores
• Closed-cell stainless steel (SS316L) foams for biomedical application were
prepared by space holder method with the composition of the SS316L metal a) Strut
powder as metallic material, polyethylene glycol (PEG) as binder and Urea as
the space holder. b)
• The powders were homogenously mixed in a ball mill and the mixtures were
put into the mould for the pressing. The samples were uniaxially pressed at 8
tons and two-stage sintered by using tube furnace at 600ºC for 2 hours
followed by 1000ºC, 1100ºC and 1200ºC to sinter the steel.
• There are several tests that have been conducted in order to characterize the
physical properties of metal foam such as density and porosity testing, and the
morphological testing (Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM)).
• The samples with 40wt.% SS316L composition and sintered at temperature of
Densification
1100°C, leads to porosities of about 44.539% and show the potential as the
best metal foams which suitable for biomedical application. From Fig. 3a) the pore shape and size distribution are inhomogeneous
which small pores on the edge surface of samples, while larger and
coalesced pores can be seen in the middle of the as shown in Fig. 3b).
Experimental Procedures
• Fig. 1 show the flowchart for SS316L foam fabrication method, apparatus and
testing involved. 40 wt.% SS316L at 1100ºC Formation of Pores
Strut
c)

d)

Densification
  Pore shape and size distribution are congregate as shown in Fig. 3c).
This is because of the powders is not homogenously during mixture
process make Urea particle gathered in one area after compaction
process. The strut is well-structured and the densification of the
sample can be seen in Fig 3d) due to the starting of the grain growth
and the merge happen between particles.
45 wt.% SS316L at 1200ºC
Formation of Pores
Strut
e)

f)

Fig. 1: Flowchart for SS316L fabrication method

Results and Discussions

• Density & Porosity Analysis
a) Fully Densified
• Based on Fig. 2a) , when the
SS316L composition increase, Based on Fig. 3e) the pore distribution of the sample can be
the density increased. When categorized as not uniform and the pore is segregate which is the
the sintering temperature small pores were covered at the surface of the foams, while the larger
increase, the density increased. coalesced pores was located in the middle of the foam. From Fig. 3f) it
• It is because, when sintering can be seen that the strut is fully fabricate while the foam is fully
temperature increase, the densified .
necks will grow at the particle
contact. Fig. 3 FESEM micrographs for SS316L foams: a,b) 45 wt.% of SS316L composition and at
sintering temperature of 1000 ºC, and strut stucture c,d) 40 wt.% of SS316L composition
and at sintering temperature of 1100 ºC, and strut structure d) strut structure with 40 wt.%
b) of SS316L e,f) 45 wt.% of SS316L composition and at sintering temperature of 1200 ºC, and
• Based on Fig. 2b), when SS316L
strut structure
composition decrease, the
porosity increased. Urea
particles leaving pores after the
Conclusion
particles fully burn off during
sintering process. • The aim of this study is to produce SS316L foam by space holder method and
• When the sintering urea as space holder material accomplished.
temperature increase, the • The range of density for SS316L foam is between 1.688 to 3.056g/cm3, while the
porosity decreased, due to the range of porosity for SS316L foam is between 28.56% to 44.54%.
pore coarsening, grain growth, • High percentage of porosity : SS316L foams with the 40 wt.% composition of
and foam shrinkage SS316L and sintered at 1100⁰C , and from the morphology, the sample show the
large formation of pores, strut, as well as densification.
Fig. 2: a) Graph of density SS316L foams at different sintering temperature, b) Graph
of porosity SS316L foam at different sintering temperature