Fabrication of Ti-Mo Core-shell Powder and Sintering Properties for Application as a Sputtering Target

Abstract

In this study, a core-shell powder and sintered specimens using a mechanically alloyed (MAed) Ti-Mo powder fabricated through high-energy ball-milling are prepared. Analysis of sintering, microstructure, and mechanical properties confirms the applicability of the powder as a sputtering target material. To optimize the MAed Ti-Mo powder milling process, phase and elemental analyses of the powders are performed according to milling time. The results reveal that 20 h of milling time is the most suitable for the manufacturing process. Subsequently, the MAed Ti-Mo powder and MoO 3 powder are milled using a 3-D mixer and heat-treated for hydrogen reduction to manufacture the core-shell powder. The reduced core-shell powder is transformed to sintered specimens through molding and sintering at 1300 and 1400 o C. The sintering properties are analyzed through X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy for phase and porosity analyses. Moreover, the microstructure of the powder is investigated through optical microscopy and electron probe microstructure analysis. The Ti-Mo core-shell sintered specimen is found to possess high density, uniform microstructure, and excellent hardness properties. These results indicate that the Ti-Mo core-shell sintered specimen has excellent sintering properties and is suitable as a sputtering target material.