Cold Compaction of Composite Powders

Densification behavior of composite powders was investigated under cold compaction. Experimental data were obtained for mixed copper and tungsten powders with various volume fractions of tungsten powder under cold isostatic pressing and die compaction. A model was also proposed for densification of mixed—soft and hard—metal powders under cold compaction. Theoretical predictions from the proposed model and models in the literature were compared with experimental data. The agreements between experimental data and theoretical predictions from the proposed model are very good for composite powders at initial stage under cold isostatic pressing. Theoretical predictions, however, underestimate experimental data under cold die compaction. [S0094-4289(00)01901-0]