Preparation and properties of TiC-Ni cermets using Ni-plated TiC

TiC powders were coated with Ni by a chemical plating technique and the pressed compacts sintered at 1623K. The density of the sintered bodies was 98–99%. Compared with mechanically-mixed powder, Ni-plated TiC powders gave a more uniform microstructure in which TiC particles were well dispersed in the Ni matrix. The cermets exhibited ductile fracture for TiC-70 vol.% Ni and brittle fracture for TiC-30 vol.% Ni. The flexural strength was improved by the homogeneous dispersion of TiC. The thermal expansion coefficient increased with a decrease in Ni content, following a nearly linear law of mixtures on the basis of volume fractions of pure TiC and Ni.