In situ technique for synthesizing multiple ceramic particulates reinforced titanium matrix composites (TiB + TiC + Y2O3)/Ti

In situ synthesized titanium matrix composites reinforced with multiple ceramic particulates including TiB, TiC and Y₂O₃ were fabricated by non-consumable arc-melting technique utilizing the chemical reaction among Ti, B₂O₃, B₄C and Y. The thermodynamic feasibility of the in situ reactions has been considered. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to identify the phases in the composites. Microstructures of the composites were observed by means of optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and electron probe. It is concluded that multiple reinforcements are synthesized and they show different shapes: TiB grows in needle shape; TiC grows in near-equiaxed and rod-like shapes; Y₂O₃ grows in near-equiaxed shapes when the content of Y is 0.6 wt.% and grows in dendritic shapes when the content of Y increases to 1.8 wt.%. Reinforcements TiB, TiC and Y₂O₃ are distributed uniformly in the titanium matrix.