Synthesis of TiC/Ti–Cu composites by pressureless reactive infiltration of TiCu alloy into carbon preforms fabricated by 3D-printing

Abstract

The microstructure of dense TiC/Ti–Cu composites fabricated by pressureless infiltration of TiCu alloy into porous starch derived carbon preform produced by 3D-printing has been studied. The reactive melt infiltration was carried out at 1100 °C in a flowing Ar atmosphere and resulted in formation of a composite comprised predominantly of substoichiometric TiC x ( x=0.78), binary intermetallic Ti–Cu phases and residual carbon. SEM analyses revealed a microstructure consisting of a dispersed fine-grained TiC 0.78 (∼7 μm) in a Ti–Cu matrix.