Abstract
This work uses a novel method of electroshock treatment (EST) to refine the TiB reinforcement to nanometer in TiB/Ti-2Al-6Sn titanium matrix composite (TMC), with an aim to shed insights into improve the deformation coordination between reinforcements and matrix of TMCs. The resistivity of TiB/Ti-2Al-6Sn before and after EST was investigated, and the resistivity increased first and then decreased with the increase of EST time. The variation in resistivity was attributed to the generation of cracks in the reinforcement/matrix interfaces during EST. Microstructural characterization indicates that the TiB whiskers fractured into small particles with 50–312 nm in diameter under the thermal stress and extrusion of matrix during EST. The deformation of matrix could not yield to the deformation of TiB in a very short time and cracks were generated in TiB/matrix interfaces. In order to repair the cracks at TiB/matrix interfaces, external loading was adopted during EST. After EST with external loading, the TiB underwent refinement and cracks in the nano-TiB/matrix interfaces were repaired when the load was 0.3 MPa, due to the thermal and athermal effects of EST as well as the compressive stress of external loading. Combing EST and the external loading, the fracture strain of TiB/Ti-2Al-6Sn increased along with a small slight variation in yield strength. The variation in mechanical properties is attributed to the refinement of TiB and the repairing of cracks. All results indicate that EST is a valuable method to manipulate the size of TiB from micrometer to nanometer, realizing the refinement of TiB and providing a novel idea for improving the deformation coordination of TMCs. • TiB was fractured to nano-size but the interface cracks were generated after EST. • Interface cracks were caused by the incompatible deformation between matrix and TiB. • EST with loading promoted the refinement of TiB and retained the integrity of interfaces. • TiB was fractured into nano-size and dispersed uniform after EST with loading. • All results are caused by thermal and athermal effects of EST and external loading.
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