Abstract
Studies have been developed in the literature to obtain alternative ceramic cutting tools with better properties as tungsten carbide and silicon nitride. Results have showed that the addition of titanium carbide, tungsten carbide or niobium carbide has improved the wear resistance and hardness of alumina. This work presents a study about preparation and characterization of an alumina reinforced with niobium carbide. The composite material is produced using polymer-filler mixtures. Samples with 60 wt.% polysiloxane and a mixture of 40 wt.% of niobium and alumina powder were mixed, uniaxially pressed at 200°C and sintered in flowing argon at 1200°, 1400° and 1600°C. The composite materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), density measurements, fracture strength and microstructural analysis. The 60 wt% polymer + 40 wt% Nb showed the presence of new crystalline phases such as NbC, Nb 5 Si 3 and Nb 3 Si.
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