Microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti3SiC2/3Y-TZP composites by spark plasma sintering

• Published in: Journal of the European Ceramic Society Vol. 27; no. 1; pp. 413 - 417
• Main Authors: WEI PAN, SHI, Sui-Lin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier 2007
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Building materials. Ceramics. Glasses; Ceramic industries; Cermets, ceramic and refractory composites; Chemical industry and chemicals; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Miscellaneous; Other materials; Physics; Specific materials; Technical ceramics; Ceramic matrix composite; Plasma; Composites; TZP; Composite material; Non oxide ceramics; Silicon Titanium Carbides Mixed; Spark discharge; Zirconium oxide; SPS; Manufacturing; Scanning electron microscopy; Mechanical properties; Stabilized zirconia; Toughness and toughening; Experimental study; X ray diffraction; Ti3SiC2; Titanium carbide; Fracture toughness; Silicon carbide; Sintering; Yttrium oxide; Microstructure; Platelets
• ISSN: 0955-2219; 1873-619X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2006.05.072

Ti3SiC2/3Y-TZP (3 mol% yttria-stabilised tetragonal zirconia polycrystal) composites were fabricated by SPS. The effect of Ti3SiC2 content on the room-temperature mechanical properties and microstructure of the composites were investigated. The Vickers hardness and bending strength of the composites decreased with increasing Ti3SiC2 content whereas the fracture toughness increased. The maximum fracture toughness of 9.88 MPa.m1/2 was achieved for the composite with 50 vol% Ti3SiC2. The improvement of the fracture toughness is due to crack deflection, crack bridging, and transformation toughening effects. 21 refs.