Shock consolidation and reaction synthesis of titanium-silicon ternary carbide

We report on our preliminary work on shock consolidation of pre-alloyed Ti3SiC2 powder as well as reaction synthesis of shock-densified powder precursors to form the titanium-silicon ternary carbide phase. The shock-compression experiments were performed using an 80-mm diameter single-stage gas gun at velocities of 500-900 mis, with the compaction pressures calculated using AUTODYN-2D numerical simulation. The consolidated pre-alloyed Ti3SiC2 samples revealed retention of the ternary phase with a microstructure showing extensive plastic strain, corresponding to a dislocation density of cold-rolled metals. Samples of the shock-densified Ti, SIG, and graphite powder precursors showed formation of the Ti3SiC2 phase under conditions of defect-enhanced solid-state diffusion upon heating at 1600 degrees C for 4 hours. The Ti3SiC2 phase appears to have been formed from a solid solution of TiC + Si. In this paper we will describe the experimental approach, microstructural characteristics, and deformation behavior of shock-consolidated as well as reaction synthesized Ti3SiC2 ternary carbide.