Microstructure And Mechanical Properties Of TiB-Ti/Ti-6Al-4V Layer Composites Fabricated By Spark Plasma Sintering

The armor materials have a series of requirement include "high hardness, high strength,high toughness, low density and low cost". Metal ceramic composites can met thoserequirement because it can integrate the excellent properties of both metal and ceramic. Soit has broad application prospects in the field of armor.Spark plasma sintering (SPS) is a new rapid sintering technique developing in recentyears. Due to its fast heating rate, short sintering time and low sintering temperaturesproperties, it has great potential in prapared high-performace new material. In this paper,we use TiB reinforced titanium matrix composites materials as armor panels and TC4aslagging. TiB-Ti/TC4composites containing different TiB-Ti composition and thicknesswere prepared by spark plasma sintering process. The research focusing on the influence ofTiB content and sintering temperature on the microstructure and properties of TiB-Ti/TC4compesites. The results showed that: The microhardness of TiB-Ti/TC4compositesincreases when the sintering temperature increases and the interface between TiB-Ticomposite layer and TC4doesn’t have significant effect on the hardness of TiB-Ti/TC4composites; The fracture of TiB-Ti/TC4composites showed three typical fracture modes:broken TiB whiskers, TiB whiskers separated from Ti substrate interface andquasi-cleavage of Ti. As the TiB content increases, the ratio of Ti substrate interface andquasi-cleavage of Ti relatively reduced; As the TiB content increases, the microhardnessincreased, the tensile strength first increased and then decreased, when TiB content is50%tensile strength reached the maximum; The compression strength of TiB-Ti/TC4composites increases when the thickness of TiB-Ti composite layer increased; Theprotection factor of the TiB-Ti/TC4composites increases with the rising of TiB content;When the thickness of TiB-Ti composite layer increased, the protection factor firstincreased and then decreased. This paper Provied some experimental data and theoreticalbasis for TiB-Ti/TC4composites applicatons in aerospace and armored protection.