CONSOLIDATION OF MOLYBDENUM DISILICIDE BASED MATERIALS BY HOT ISOSTATIC PRESSING (HIP) - COMPARISON WITH MODELS

Monolithic molybdenum disilicide (MoSi2) powder and MoSi2 powders blen ded with ductile and brittle reinforcements were consolidated by hot i sostatic pressing (HIP). The extent of densification of the consolidat ed samples as a function of temperature, pressure and time was determi ned by precision density measurements. HIP diagrams were constructed b ased on theoretical models. Material properties, required as input for the HIP map software, were compiled or extrapolated from published li terature, experimentally determined and in some cases were estimated f rom the rule of mixtures. The model predictions were compared with exp erimental data and dominant mechanisms of densification were identifie d.