In situ fabrication of TiC/Ti3Al/Ti2AlC composite by spark plasma sintering technology

Abstract

A powder mixture of Ti, Al4C3 and graphite was adopted to synthesize a new TiC/Ti3Al/Ti2AlC composite by spark plasma sintering. The reaction route was proposed from XRD analysis. TiC, Ti3Al and Ti2AlC formed from 800°C with TiC x and Ti3Aly acting as the intermediate phases until the reaction process completed at 1200°C. It was found from TEM observation that Ti3Al underwent an intergrowth relationship with TiC grains inside the Ti2AlC matrix due to the in situ reaction sintering. The average hardness, fracture toughness, Young's modulus and bending strength of the composite were 10.2 ± 0.6 GPa, 6.5 ± 0.2 MPa·m1/2, 436 ± 11MPa and 227 ± 13GPa, respectively. © 2010 The Ceramic Society of Japan. All rights reserved.