Influence of Temperature and Pressure on the Possibility of Obtaining Al₂O₃/Ni-P Nanocomposite through Hot Pressing Process

The influence of sintering temperature and high pressure on Ni-P nanoparticles in Al2O3/Ni-P nanocomposites was investigated in this paper. The fine-grained alumina powder was covered with Ni-P nanoparticles of 20 – 50 nm size by electroless nickel plating. The material was sintered in temperatures from 900 to 1400oC using pressures above 5 GPa. It was found that sintering in such conditions give a possibility to maintain nanometrical size of Ni-P particles. In the case of 1400oC the metallic phase melts and non-uniform grain growth of ceramic was observed. Hot pressing at 900oC allowed for the metal to remain in solid state and ensured uniform microstructures of the nanocomposites, with uniform distribution of nanometrical Ni-P grains in the ceramic matrix. In this temperature the grain growth of the ceramic was not observed. The results are discussed in terms of technology for production of ceramic-metal composites for various applications.