Discover the SciOpen Platform and Achieve Your Research Goals with Ease.
Search articles, authors, keywords, DOl and etc.
B4C–TiB2 is an advanced electrically conductive ceramic with excellent mechanical and electrical discharge machinable properties. It is challenging and rewarding to achieve highly conductive and hard B4C–TiB2 composites at a minimum content of conductive TiB2 that has inferior hardness but double specific gravity of the B4C matrix. A novel strategy was used to construct conductive networks in B4C‒15 vol% TiB2 composite ceramics with B4C, TiC, and amorphous B as raw materials by a two-step spark plasma sintering method. The influences of particle size matching between B4C and TiC on the conducting of the strategy and the microstructure were discussed based on the selective matrix grain growth mechanism. The mechanical and electrical properties were also systematically investigated. The B4C–15 vol% TiB2 composite ceramic prepared from 10.29 µm B4C and 0.05 µm TiC powders exhibited a perfect three-dimensional interconnected conductive network with a maximum electrical conductivity of 4.25×104 S/m, together with excellent mechanical properties including flexural strength, Vickers hardness, and fracture toughness of 691±58 MPa, 30.30±0.61 GPa, and 5.75±0.32 MPa·m1/2, respectively, while the composite obtained from 3.12 µm B4C and 0.8 µm TiC powders had the best mechanical properties including flexural strength, Vickers hardness, and fracture toughness of 827±35 MPa, 32.01±0.51 GPa, and 6.45±0.22 MPa·m1/2, together with a decent electrical conductivity of 0.65×104 S/m.
Madhav Reddy K, Guo JJ, Shinoda Y, et al. Enhanced mechanical properties of nanocrystalline boron carbide by nanoporosity and interface phases. Nat Commun 2012, 3: 1052.
Eqtesadi S, Motealleh A, Perera FH, et al. Fabricating geometrically-complex B4C ceramic components by robocasting and pressureless spark plasma sintering. Scripta Mater 2018, 145: 14–18.
Sciti D, Failla S, Turan S, et al. Properties and ballistic tests of strong B4C‒TiB2 composites densified by gas pressure sintering. J Eur Ceram Soc 2023, 43: 1334–1342.
Qu ZX, Yu CJ, Wei YT, et al. Thermal conductivity of boron carbide under fast neutron irradiation. J Adv Ceram 2022, 11: 482–494.
Wang XN,Tao Q, Zuo B, et al. Research progress of B4C‒TiB2 composite ceramics. J Ceram 2020, 41: 783–795. (in Chinese)
Fan L, Song XW, Zhao PF, et al. Super strong B4C ceramics prepared by dynamic sinter forging. J Eur Ceram Soc 2023, 43: 4209–4214.
Qiu SH, Zou J, Liu JJ, et al. B4C–(Ti0.9Cr0.1)B2 composites with excellent specific hardness and enhanced toughness. J Am Ceram Soc 2023, 106: 4013–4022.
Kavimani V, Prakash KS, Thankachan T. Influence of machining parameters on wire electrical discharge machining performance of reduced graphene oxide/magnesium composite and its surface integrity characteristics. Compos Part B-Eng 2019, 167: 621–630.
Wang AY, Hu LX, He QL, et al. Electrical discharge machining of boron carbide‒graphene nanoplatelets composites. J Eur Ceram Soc 2022, 42: 850–859.
Tan YQ, Zhang HB, Peng SM. Electrically conductive graphene nanoplatelet/boron carbide composites with high hardness and toughness. Scripta Mater 2016, 114: 98–102.
Matović B, Maletaškić J, Prikhna T, et al. Characterization of B4C‒SiC ceramic composites prepared by ultra-high pressure sintering. J Eur Ceram Soc 2021, 41: 4755–4760.
Moradkhani A, Baharvandi H. Mechanical properties and fracture behavior of B4C–nano/micro SiC composites produced by pressureless sintering. Int J Refract Met Hard Mater 2018, 70: 107–115.
Demirskyi D, Sakka Y, Vasylkiv O. High-strength B4C–TaB2 eutectic composites obtained via in situ by spark plasma sintering. J Am Ceram Soc 2016, 99: 2436–2441.
Yuan Y, Ye TK, Wu Y, et al. Mechanical and ballistic properties of graphene platelets reinforced B4C ceramics: Effect of TiB2 addition. Mater Sci Eng A 2021, 817: 141294.
Silvestroni L, Gilli N, Sangiorgi A, et al. Multi-phase (Zr, Ti, Cr)B2 solid solutions: Preparation, multi-scale microstructure, and local properties. J Adv Ceram 2023, 12: 414–431.
Li X, Wang XG, Tang J, et al. Low-temperature synthesis of high-purity TiB2 via carbothermal reduction of metatitanic acid and H3BO3. Ceram Int 2023, 49: 40140–40148.
Wang AY, Hu LX, Guo WC, et al. Synergistic effects of TiB2 and graphene nanoplatelets on the mechanical and electrical properties of B4C ceramic. J Eur Ceram Soc 2022, 42: 869–876.
Wang S, Yuan JT, Han WC, et al. Microstructure and mechanical properties of B4C‒TiB2 composite ceramic fabricated by reactive spark plasma sintering. Int J Refract Met Hard Mater 2020, 92: 105307.
Ding X, Pan KK, Liu ZT, et al. Effects of TiC particle size on microstructures and mechanical properties of B4C–TiB2 composites prepared by reactive hot-press sintering of TiC–B mixtures. Ceram Int 2020, 46: 10425–10430.
Popov O, Vishnyakov V, Chornobuk S, et al. Mechanisms of TiB2 and graphite nucleation during TiC–B4C high temperature interaction. Ceram Int 2019, 45: 16740–16747.
Liu YY, Li ZQ, Peng YS, et al. Effect of sintering temperature and TiB2 content on the grain size of B4C–TiB2 composites. Mater Today Commun 2020, 23: 100875.
Clayton JD, Rubink WS, Ageh V, et al. Deformation and failure mechanics of boron carbide–titanium diboride composites at multiple scales. JOM 2019, 71: 2567–2575.
Rubink WS, Ageh V, Lide H, et al. Spark plasma sintering of B4C and B4C–TiB2 composites: Deformation and failure mechanisms under quasistatic and dynamic loading. J Eur Ceram Soc 2021, 41: 3321–3332.
Malek O, Vleugels J, Vanmeensel K, et al. Electrical discharge machining of B4C–TiB2 composites. J Eur Ceram Soc 2011, 31: 2023–2030.
Zhao J, Wang D, Jin X, et al. Highly electro-conductive B4C–TiB2 composites with three-dimensional interconnected intergranular TiB2 network. J Adv Ceram 2023, 12: 182–195.
Zhao J, Fang ZY, Jin X, et al. B4C‒TiB2 composite with modified microstructure and enhanced properties from optimal size coupling of raw powders. J Am Ceram Soc 2023, 106: 4911–4920.
Evans AG, Charles EA. Fracture toughness determinations by indentation. J Am Ceram Soc 1976, 59: 371–372.
Zhao J, Xia XJ, Jin X, et al. Electrical discharge machinable B4C–(Zr,Ti)B2 composites with enhanced mechanical properties. J Alloys Compd 2024, 976: 173260.
Wang DW, Ran SL, Shen L, et al. Fast synthesis of B4C–TiB2 composite powders by pulsed electric current heating TiC–B mixture. J Eur Ceram Soc 2015, 35: 1107–1112.
Guo WC, Wang AY, He QL, et al. Microstructure and mechanical properties of B4C–TiB2 ceramic composites prepared via a two-step method. J Eur Ceram Soc 2021, 41: 6952–6961.
Lee SH, Oh HC, An BH, et al. Ultra-low temperature synthesis of Al4SiC4 powder using spark plasma sintering. Scripta Mater 2013, 69: 135–138.
Skorokhod VV. Processing, microstructure, and mechanical properties of B4C – TiB2 particulate sintered composites. Part I. Pressureless sintering and microstructure evolution. Powder Metall Met Ceram 2000, 39: 414–423.
Wang S, Li LM, Yan S, et al. Preparing B4C‒SiC‒TiB2 composites via reactive pressureless sintering with B4C and TiSi2 as raw materials. J Mater Res Technol 2020, 9: 8685–8696.
Streitenberger P, Zöllner D. The envelope of size distributions in Ostwald ripening and grain growth. Acta Mater 2015, 88: 334–345.
Guo WM, Zhang GJ. New borothermal reduction route to synthesize submicrometric ZrB2 powders with low oxygen content. J Am Ceram Soc 2011, 94: 3702–3705.
Ma K, Shi XG, Cao XZ, et al. Mechanical, electrical properties and microstructures of hot-pressed B4C‒WB2 composites. Ceram Int 2022, 48: 20211–20219.
Skorokhod V, Vlajic MD, Krstic VD. Mechanical properties of pressureless sintered boron carbide containing TiB2 phase. J Mater Sci Lett 1996, 15: 1337–1339.
Rice RW. The porosity dependence of physical properties of materials: A summary review. Key Eng Mater 1995, 115: 1–20.
Zou J, Ma HB, Liu JJ, et al. Nanoceramic composites with duplex microstructure break the strength-toughness tradeoff. J Mater Sci Technol 2020, 58: 1–9.
Guo WC, He QL, Wang AY, et al. Effect of TiB2 particles on microstructure and mechanical properties of B4C–TiB2 ceramics prepared by hot pressing. Ceram Int 2023, 49: 4403–4411.
Yamada S, Hirao K, Yamauchi Y, et al. High strength B4C–TiB2 composites fabricated by reaction hot-pressing. J Eur Ceram Soc 2003, 23: 1123–1130.
Khajehzadeh M, Ehsani N, Baharvandi HR, et al. Thermodynamical evaluation, microstructural characterization and mechanical properties of B4C–TiB2 nanocomposite produced by in situ reaction of nano-TiO2. Ceram Int 2020, 46: 26970–26984.
Skorokhod V, Krstic VD. High strength-high toughness B4C–TiB2 composites. J Mater Sci Lett 2000, 19: 237–239.
Kumar A, Gokhale A, Ghosh S, et al. Effect of nano-sized sintering additives on microstructure and mechanical properties of Si3N4 ceramics. Mater Sci Eng A 2019, 750: 132–140.
Huang SG, Vanmeensel K, Malek OJA, et al. Microstructure and mechanical properties of pulsed electric current sintered B4C–TiB2 composites. Mater Sci Eng A 2011, 528: 1302–1309.
Wang AY, He QL, Guo WC, et al. Microstructure and properties of hot pressed TiB2 and SiC reinforced B4C-based composites. Mater Today Commun 2021, 26: 102082.
Bobbili R, Madhu V, Gogia AK. An experimental investigation of wire electrical discharge machining of hot-pressed boron carbide. Def Technol 2015, 11: 344–349.
2316
Views
497
Downloads
3
Crossref
3
Web of Science
3
Scopus
0
CSCD
Altmetrics
This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).