Method for obtaining a component made of a palladium-indium alloy having a good workability

A method for obtaining a component made of a palladium (Pd)-indium (In) alloy comprising between 46 and 56 wt % Pd, between 44 and 54 wt % In, between 0 and 10 wt % of silver (Ag), gold (Au), copper (Cu), platinum (Pt), silicium (Si), or tin (Sn), or a combination of these elements, between 0 and 2 wt % of any one of:

• ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh), rhenium (Re) or iridium (Ir), between 0 and 5 wt % of aluminum (Al), and a maximum of 1.5 wt % of other elements;
• the method comprising:
• providing the Pd—In alloy;
• thermomechanical processing the Pd—In alloy, comprising a step of hot pressing under vacuum, hot pressing under a protective gas, or hot isostatic pressing;
• wherein the thermomechanical processing is performed at a heating temperature between 1050° C. and 1150° C., at controlled deformation rate of 0.1 to 100 mm/h with an applied load between 1 and 500 MPa;
• and
• wherein the thermomechanical processing is performed with a deformation ratio between 1.2 and 15, the deformation being defined as the ratio of the initial lateral size of the component, prior thermomechanically processing the component, to the final lateral size of the component after thermomechanically processing the component;
• wherein the thermomechanically processed Pd—In alloy has a bending stress measured with a three-point bending test, according to DIN EN ISO 9693 until breakage that is at least four time greater that the bending stress of as-cast the Pd—In alloy measured with the same three-point bending test.