Production of nickel-titanium alloys by microwave sintering

Nickel-Titanium alloys are also used in medical applications due to their excellent mechanical properties with shape memory effect, corrosion resistance and biocompatibility. NiTi alloys are produced using many methods. NiTi alloys produced by powder metallurgy allow passing through the pores of living tissue due to their porous structure. NiTi alloys are carried out the production by using many sintering methods in powder metallurgy. Recently, NiTi alloys have been produced by microwave sintering method. Compared to other methods, the microwave sintering method can produce alloys to have high mechanical properties, and has advantages such as high heating rate, low temperature, and low processing speed. In this study, Nickel and Titanium powders in nano and micron sizes were compressed homogeneously by mixing at different pressures to be 52%Ni-Ti and were sintered at different times in a modified household microwave oven. In order to determine the usability of the produced NiTi alloys as implant material, the pore ratio, microstructure and mechanical properties were investigated.