Microstructures, densification and mechanical properties of TiC–Al2O3–Al composite by field-activated combustion synthesis

Dense TiC–Al2O3–Al composite was prepared with Al, C and TiO2 powders by means of electric field-activated combustion synthesis and infiltration of the molten metal (here Al) into the synthesized TiC–Al2O3 ceramic. An external electric field can effectively improve the adiabatic combustion temperature of the reactive system and overcome the thermodynamic limitation of reaction with x < 10 mol. Thereby, it can induce a self-sustaining combustion synthesis process. During the formation of Al2O3–TiC–Al composite, Al is molten first, and reacted with TiO2 to form Al2O3, followed by the formation of TiC through the reaction between the displaced Ti and C. Highly dense TiC–Al2O3–Al with relative density of up to 92.5% was directly fabricated with the application of a 14 mol excess Al content and a 25 V cm−1 field strength, in which TiC and Al2O3 particles possess fine-structured sizes of 0.2–1.0 μm, with uniform distribution in metal Al. The hardness, bending strength and fracture toughness of the synthesized TiC–Al2O3–Al composite are 56.5 GPa, 531 MPa and 10.96 MPa m1/2, respectively.