Crystal Growth and Fracture Behavior of Solidified TiC-TiB₂ Prepared by Combustion Synthesis in High-Gravity Field

Abstract:

Based on the technology of combustion synthesis in high-gravity field, the TiC-TiB₂ ceramics with refined microstructures have been fabricated by adjusting the technological parameter and proportioning of raw starting powders. The effects of particle size of raw powders on crystal growth and mechanical properties were studied in this paper. It found that the propagation rate and the combustion temperature can be improved by decreasing the grain size of raw powders, as well as the heat exchange and mass diffusion were enhanced too, so that the microstructure homogenization, densification and mechanical properties of the TiC-TiB₂ ceramics were improved accordingly. The highest density, relative density, Vickers hardness and fracture toughness of TiC-TiB₂ composites measured 4.07 g/cm³, 87.5%, 22.5 ± 1.2 GPa and 9.5 ± 0.8 MPa·m^0.5, respectively, since that the fine B₄C powder with particle size < 3.5 µm and the fine Ti powder with particle size < 38 µm were chosed as raw starting powders. The fracture behaviour of TiC-TiB₂ composites was dominated by the strong coupled toughening mechanisms of crack deflection and crack-bridging, and the high fracture toughness of the TiC-TiB₂ ceramics benefits mainly from the achievement of micro-nanocrystalline microstructure in the full-density solidified ceramic.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volume 680)
• Pages: 141-146
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.680.141
• Online since: February 2016
• Authors: Xue Gang Huang*, Jie Huang, Zhong Min Zhao, Jun Yan Wu
• Keywords: Crystal Growth, Fracture Behavior, Particle Size, TiC-TiB₂ Ceramic

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