Reaction Synthesis of Titanium Matrix Composites Through Powder Metallurgy Processing Technique

Titanium matrix composites reinforced with 10, 20 and 30 vol.% of in situ TiB–TiC reinforcements were fabricated using powder metallurgy method which offers economical solution for production of high performance materials. The in situ composites were produced by reaction of sintering of uniformly blended and compacted powders of titanium and boron carbide in required proportions. XRD analysis confirmed the completion of in situ reaction. SEM studies confirmed uniform distribution and the shape of the reinforcement, TiB as whiskers and TiC as equiaxed particles. The effect of morphology and reinforcement volume on properties of the composites were evaluated by measurement of modulus, hardness, three-point bend test and compression test at ambient temperature along with unreinforced titanium. The study has revealed that the composites with increasing percentage of the reinforcements exhibited improved properties due to the presence of TiB whiskers distributed uniformly. Fractography of the three-point bend tested samples revealed the plastic mode of fracture for unreinforced titanium and the composites exhibiting mixed mode of fracture.