Synthesis of Ti3AlC2/Al2O3 nanopowders by mechano-chemical reaction

Ti₃AlC₂/Al₂O₃ nanopowders were synthesized by the combination of mechanically-induce self-propagating reaction (MSR) of Ti, C, Al and TiO₂ powder mixtures and subsequently heat treatment. Effects of high energy milling and heat treatment temperatures on the phase transformation were investigated in detail. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to characterize the powders of milled and annealed, respectively. The morphology and microstructure of as fabricated products were also studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Results show that TiC, Ti_xAl_y and Al₂O₃ transitional phases were formed when the initial powder mixtures were milled for 24 h. The desired Ti₃AlC₂/Al₂O₃ nanopowders with high purity were obtained when annealed the as-milled powders at 1100 °C. SEM image confirmed that the as fabricated Ti₃AlC₂/Al₂O₃ particles has nanocrystalline layered structural matrix of Ti₃AlC₂, and the second phase of nanosized Al₂O₃ disperses uniformly in the Ti₃AlC₂ matrix.