In-situ hot pressing solid-liquid reaction synthesis of dense titanium silicon carbide bulk ceramics

An in-situ hot pressing/solid-liquid reaction process was developed for the synthesis of dense polycrystalline Ti3SiC2 ceramics using Ti, Si, and graphite powders as starting materials. The present work demonstrated that this process was one of the most effective and simple methods for the preparation of dense bulk Ti3SiC2 materials. Lattice constants of a=3.068 and c=17.645 are calculated for Ti3SiC2 made through this process. The synthesis temperature influenced the phase composition, microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti3SiC2 prepared at different temperatures. And bulk materials with flexural strength of 480 MPa and fracture toughness of 7.88 MPa.m(1/2) were obtained at 1600 degrees C. The high fracture toughness and strength are discussed based on microstructure analysis.