SYNTHESES OF TI-AL-SI-B-C NANOCOMPOSITES BY MECHANICAL ALLOYING AND EXPLOSIVE COMPACTION

Abstract

Nanocomposites of Ti-Al-Si-B-C systems are characterized with unique physical and mechanical properties. They are attractive and can be used wide range of areas including aerospace, power engineering, machine and chemical fields. The coarse crystalline Ti, Al, C powders and amorphous B were used as initial elements. Different compositions of Ti, Al and C were prepared for mechanical alloying. Determination and selection of blend compositions was made on the base of phase diagrams. The powders were mixed according the selected ratios of components to produce the blend. Blends were processed in high energetic “Fritsch” Planetary premium line ball mill for mechanical alloying, syntheses of new phases and ultrafine particles formation. The blends processing time was variable and change between: 1 to 10 hours.
The optimal technological regimes of blend preparation were determined experimentally. Ball milled blends investigated in order to determine properties after milling and mechanical alloying. Ultrafine bland were consolidated using explosive compaction technology. Explosive consolidation technology was used for bulk composite formation. Consolidated samples were processed and prepared for the structural investigations. The paper includes structural investigations results of milling process and explosive compaction of compositions of Ti-Al-B-C powders, optimal technological parameters for explosive compaction and formation of bulk ultrafine-grained composites. The current article also includes the structural investigations of prepared samples.