Structure and Deformation Behavior of Ti-SiC Composites Made by Mechanical Alloying and Spark Plasma Sintering.

Dariusz Garbiec,Paolo Matteazzi,Alberto Colella,Volf Leshchynsky,Piotr Siwak

doi:10.3390/ma12081276

Abstract

Combining high energy ball milling and spark plasma sintering is one of the most promising technologies in materials science. The mechanical alloying process enables the production of nanostructured composite powders that can be successfully spark plasma sintered in a very short time, while preserving the nanostructure and enhancing the mechanical properties of the composite. Composites with MAX phases are among the most promising materials. In this study, Ti/SiC composite powder was produced by high energy ball milling and then consolidated by spark plasma sintering. During both processes, Ti3SiC2, TiC and Ti5Si3 phases were formed. Scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction study showed that the phase composition of the spark plasma sintered composites consists mainly of Ti3SiC2 and a mixture of TiC and Ti5Si3 phases which have a different indentation size effect. The influence of the sintering temperature on the Ti-SiC composite structure and properties is defined. The effect of the Ti3SiC2 MAX phase grain growth was found at a sintering temperature of 1400–1450 °C. The indentation size effect at the nanoscale for Ti3SiC2, TiC+Ti5Si3 and SiC-Ti phases is analyzed on the basis of the strain gradient plasticity theory and the equation constants were defined.

Highlights

During the last two decades, nanocrystalline materials with grain sizes below 100 nm prepared using various methods have been widely studied due to their enhanced properties when compared with coarse-grained polycrystalline materials
This work presents the synthesis of Ti3SiC2 MAX phase-based composites using a Ti/SiC
This work presents the synthesis of Ti3 SiC2 MAX phase-based composites using a Ti/SiC HEBMed and SPSed powder

Summary

Introduction

During the last two decades, nanocrystalline materials with grain sizes below 100 nm prepared using various methods have been widely studied due to their enhanced properties when compared with coarse-grained polycrystalline materials. Mechanical milling/alloying (MM/MA) is an effective method to prepare nanostructured materials such as pure element nanocrystalline metals, supersaturated solid solutions, intermetallic compounds, dispersion strengthened alloys and amorphous alloys. Mechanochemical synthesis—chemical reactions induced by high energy ball milling (HEBM)—is one of the promising routes for the synthesis of different materials and composites such as Mn+1 AXn ternary layered compounds, where n=1, 2 or 3, M is an early transition metal, A is an A-group element (mostly groups 13 and 14), and X is C or N. The material grain size influences the mechanochemical reactions of both categories.

Objectives

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion