Titanium carbide – Titanium boride composites by self propagating high temperature synthesis approach: Influence of zirconia additives on the mechanical properties

Abstract

This work presents the fabrication of high-dense titanium carbide – titanium boride (TiC-TiB2) composites by self-propagating high temperature synthesis (SHS) under-load methodology. The influence of particle size of boron carbide (B4C) and the amount of titanium (Ti) on the TiC-TiB2 composites properties is explored. The structural features and crystalline structures of the prepared composites were systematically characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The influence of zirconia (ZrO2) additives on the mechanical properties of prepared composites is explored and explained. The obtained results reveal that ZrO2 additives have a significant influence on the mechanical properties of TiC-TiB2 composites. An addition of 20 wt% ZrO2 results in a maximum enhancement of 1805 HV in comparison to 1683 HV for as-produced TiC-TiB2 composite. Detailed thermodynamic study of the effect of ZrO2 on the combustion process is also presented. Our results provide novel insights into the fabrication of TiC-TiB2 – based composites, establishing for the first time the influence of zirconia additives on the mechanical properties of the resulting composites, opening new opportunities to develop advanced composites for structural applications. Keywords: Titanium carbide, Titanium boride, Self-propagating, Zirconia additives, Mechanical properties