TY - JOUR
T1 - In-situ Ti-6Al-4V/TiC composites synthesized by reactive spark plasma sintering: processing, microstructure, and dry sliding wear behaviour
AU - Bai, Mingwen
AU - Namus, Righdan
AU - Xu, Yidong
AU - Guan, Dikai
AU - Rainforth, Mark W.
AU - Inkson, Beverley, J.
PY - 2019/8/15
Y1 - 2019/8/15
N2 - Titanium carbide (TiC) reinforced Titanium Matrix Composites (TMCs) have been synthesized via an in-situ reactive spark plasma sintering (SPS) process using commercial Ti-6Al-4V spherical powders pre-coated with 1 wt% carbon nanoparticles by low-energy ball milling. Graphite flakes are used as carbon source, which aids powder flow during mixing as lubricant. Graphite transforms to nano-crystallite carbon during mixing which is favourable for the rapid formation of TiC second phase in the following SPS process. The composites exhibited a novel honeycomb-like cellular microstructure with the formation of 5–6 vol% fine TiC submicron grains interconnected in the titanium α/β matrix. In addition, the reinforcement of the TiC phase with a nano-hardness of 12.4 GPa, improves the wear resistance of the parent alloy matrix (5.1 GPa), with a reduction of 26–28% in wear rate during dry reciprocating sliding tests against Si3N4 balls. During sliding, the wear debris (predominantly anatase TiO2) builds up on the raised TiC hard phase forming a barrier layer of adhered oxide that can protect the alloy matrix underneath from abrasion and oxidation, leading to a reduced wear rate.
AB - Titanium carbide (TiC) reinforced Titanium Matrix Composites (TMCs) have been synthesized via an in-situ reactive spark plasma sintering (SPS) process using commercial Ti-6Al-4V spherical powders pre-coated with 1 wt% carbon nanoparticles by low-energy ball milling. Graphite flakes are used as carbon source, which aids powder flow during mixing as lubricant. Graphite transforms to nano-crystallite carbon during mixing which is favourable for the rapid formation of TiC second phase in the following SPS process. The composites exhibited a novel honeycomb-like cellular microstructure with the formation of 5–6 vol% fine TiC submicron grains interconnected in the titanium α/β matrix. In addition, the reinforcement of the TiC phase with a nano-hardness of 12.4 GPa, improves the wear resistance of the parent alloy matrix (5.1 GPa), with a reduction of 26–28% in wear rate during dry reciprocating sliding tests against Si3N4 balls. During sliding, the wear debris (predominantly anatase TiO2) builds up on the raised TiC hard phase forming a barrier layer of adhered oxide that can protect the alloy matrix underneath from abrasion and oxidation, leading to a reduced wear rate.
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.wear.2019.202944
U2 - 10.1016/j.wear.2019.202944
DO - 10.1016/j.wear.2019.202944
M3 - Article
VL - 432-433
JO - Wear
JF - Wear
SN - 0043-1648
M1 - 202944
ER -
