Title: Mechanical and microstructural properties of TiC particle-reinforced titanium matrix composite

Authors: W.D. Song; J.G. Ning; X.N. Mao

Addresses: State Key Laboratory of Explosion Science and Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China. ' State Key Laboratory of Explosion Science and Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China. ' Northwest Institute for Non-ferrous Metal Research, Xi'an 710016, China

Abstract: Samples TiC particle (TiCp) reinforced titanium matrix composite containing 10 vol pct of TiC fabricated by pre-treatment melt process (PTMP) have been tested in quasi-static and dynamic tension at different strain rates from 10−4 to 103/s, and the mechanical properties have been compared with those of the unreinforced titanium matrix alloy. It has been found that under dynamic loadings, both the titanium matrix alloy and the TiCp/Ti composite demonstrate some strain-rate sensitivity. The tensile strength and the fracture strain increase with increasing strain rate. The damage mechanisms are different for the titanium matrix alloy and the TiCp/Ti composite, as demonstrated by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation of fracture surfaces for both the matrix and the composite. The tensile-tested titanium matrix alloy shows dimpled fracture, while the tensile-tested TiCp/Ti composite exhibits cleavage failure followed by the ductile fracture of the titanium matrix alloy.

Keywords: titanium matrix composites; TMCs; mechanical properties; scanning electron microscopy; SEM; particle reinforcement; microstructure; strain rate; titanium matrix alloys; fracture; tensile testing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMPT.2011.045463

International Journal of Materials and Product Technology, 2011 Vol.42 No.3/4, pp.183 - 194

Received: 11 Jun 2011
Accepted: 05 Oct 2011

Published online: 07 Mar 2015 *

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