（TiB2＋Al2O3）/NiAl composites were synthesized by self-propagation high-temperature synthesis, and their phase compositions, microstructures and evolution modes were studied. The microstructures and shapes vary with the TiB2＋Al2O3 content in the NiAl matrix. TiB2 particles take a great variety of elementary shapes such as white bars, plates, herringbones, regular cubes and cuboids. These results outline a strategy of self-assembly processes in real time to build diversified microstructures. Some TiB2 grains in sizes of 2-5μm are embeded in Al2O3 clusters, while a small number of TiB2 particles disperse in the NiAl matrix. It is believed that the higher the TiB2＋Al2O3 content is, the more the regular shapes and homogeneous distributions of TiB2 and Al2O3 will be present in the NiAl matrix.
The NiAl–TiC–TiB2 composites were processed by self-propagating high-temperature synthesis（SHS） method using raw powders of Ni, Al, Ti, B4 C, TiC, and TiB2, and their microstructure and micro-hardness were investigated. The TiC–TiB2 in NiAl matrix, with contents from 10 to 30 wt%, emerged with the use of two methods： in situ formed and externally added. The results show that all final products are composed of three phases of NiAl, TiC, and TiB2. The microstructures of NiAl–TiC–TiB2 composites with in situ-formed TiC and TiB2 are fine, and all the three phases are distributed uniformly. The grains of NiAl matrix in the composites have been greatly refined, and the micro-hardness of NiAl increases from 381 HV100 to 779 HV100. However, the microstructures of NiAl–TiC–TiB2 composites with externally added TiC and TiB2 are coarse and inhomogeneous, with severe agglomeration of TiC and TiB2 particles. The samples containing externally added 30 wt% TiC–TiB2attain the micro-hardness of 485 HV100. The microstructure evolution and fracture mode of the two kinds of NiAl–TiC–TiB2 composites are different.
Na WeiHong-Zhi CuiJie WuJun WangGuan-Long WangChen Jiang
TiC-TiB2-NiAl composites were fabricated by self-propagating high temperature reaction synthesis（SHS） with Ti, B4C, Ni and Al powders as raw materials. The effects of NiAl content on phase constituents and microstructures were investigated. The results show that the reaction products are composed of TiB2, TiC and NiAl. The content of NiAl increases with the adding of Ni＋Al in green compacts. TiB2, TiC and NiAl grains present in different shapes in the matrix, TiB2 being in hexagonal or rectangular shapes, TiC in spherical shapes, and NiAl squeezed into the gaps of TiC and TiB2 grains. With the increase of NiAl content, the grains of TiC-TiB2-NiAl composites are refined, their density and compressive strength are improved, and the shapes of TiC grains become spherical instead of irregular ones. Finally, the fracture mechanism of the composites transforms from intergranular fracture mode to the compounded fracture mode of intergranular fracture and transgranular fracture.
