A spherically-shaped, microcrystalline Ni-Ti alloy powder having fairly nonhomogeneous particle size distribution and chemical composition was consolidated with shock input energy of 316 kJ/kg. In the process of consolidation, shock energy is preferentially input at particle surfaces, resulting in melting of near-surface material and interparticle welding. The Ni-Ti powder particles were 2-60 μm in diameter (Fig. 1). About 30-40% of the powder particles were Ni-65wt% and balance were Ni-45wt%Ti (estimated by EMPA).Upon shock compaction, the two phase Ni-Ti powder particles were bonded together by the interparticle melt which rapidly solidified, usually to amorphous material. Fig. 2 is an optical micrograph (in plane of shock) of the consolidated Ni-Ti alloy powder, showing the particles with different etching contrast.
