TiC-TiB2 composites have emerged as a revolutionary material system for high-strength applications due to their exceptional mechanical properties and thermal stability. Recent studies have demonstrated that the incorporation of TiB2 into a TiC matrix significantly enhances hardness and fracture toughness. For instance, a composite with 30 vol% TiB2 exhibited a Vickers hardness of 28.5 GPa and a fracture toughness of 7.8 MPa·m^1/2, representing a 35% and 50% improvement over monolithic TiC, respectively. These enhancements are attributed to the synergistic effects of grain refinement and crack deflection mechanisms at the TiC-TiB2 interfaces. Advanced microstructural characterization using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that the TiB2 phase forms elongated grains with an average aspect ratio of 5:1, which contributes to load transfer and stress redistribution under mechanical loading.
The thermal stability of TiC-TiB2 composites has been extensively studied for high-temperature applications such as aerospace components and cutting tools. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) under oxidizing conditions at 1200°C showed that composites with optimized TiB2 content (20-40 vol%) exhibited a weight gain of only 0.8% after 100 hours, compared to 3.2% for pure TiC. This superior oxidation resistance is attributed to the formation of a protective TiO2-B2O3 layer, which inhibits oxygen diffusion into the bulk material. Furthermore, thermal conductivity measurements revealed that these composites maintain a high thermal conductivity of 42 W/m·K at 1000°C, ensuring efficient heat dissipation in extreme environments.
Recent advances in additive manufacturing have enabled the fabrication of complex-shaped TiC-TiB2 components with tailored microstructures. Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) techniques have been employed to produce composites with a relative density exceeding 98%. Mechanical testing of LPBF-fabricated samples showed a compressive strength of 3.8 GPa and a flexural strength of 1.2 GPa, which are comparable to conventionally sintered counterparts but with improved dimensional accuracy and reduced material waste. The ability to control grain orientation during LPBF has also been leveraged to produce anisotropic properties, achieving up to a 25% increase in strength along specific loading directions.
The tribological performance of TiC-TiB2 composites has been investigated for wear-resistant applications such as bearings and seals. Pin-on-disk tests under dry sliding conditions revealed that composites with 25 vol% TiB2 exhibited a wear rate of 1.2 × 10^-6 mm^3/N·m and a coefficient of friction (COF) of 0.32, outperforming traditional WC-Co materials by over 40%. The wear mechanism was identified as mild abrasive wear, with minimal surface damage due to the formation of a self-lubricating tribo-layer composed of titanium oxides and boron compounds.
Future research directions for TiC-TiB2 composites include exploring their potential in extreme environments such as nuclear reactors and deep-sea equipment. Preliminary studies on neutron irradiation resistance have shown that these composites retain over 90% of their mechanical properties after exposure to a fluence of 10^21 neutrons/cm^2, making them promising candidates for next-generation nuclear materials. Additionally, computational modeling using density functional theory (DFT) has provided insights into the atomic-scale interactions at TiC-TiB2 interfaces, paving the way for further optimization through alloying or nanostructuring.
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