The Effect of Titanium Carbide
and Spark Plasma Sintering Processing
on Nickel–Titanium Carbide Composites
Ganesh Walunj, Anthony Bearden, Amit Patil, Taban Larimian,
Jijo Christudasjustus, Rajeev Gupta, and Tushar Borkar
Abstract The influence of variations in the titanium carbide (TiC) content employed
during spark plasma sintering (SPS) of nickel–titanium carbide (Ni-TiC) composites
on its microstructure and mechanical properties has been investigated systematically.
Mechanical alloying (MA) uses a technique of cold welding and repetitive fracturing
of composite powder to make homogenous alloys powder. The SPS consolidates alloy
powder into dense samples using joule heating at a lower temperature. Mechanical
alloying was performed using a planetary high energy ball mill with 400 rpm and
ball to powder ratio 15:1 for 24 h. Bulk Ni-TiC composites (with TiC content varying
from 5 to 25 wt.%) consolidated via mechanical alloying followed by SPS at 65 MPa
pressure and 900 °C temperature. All consolidated Ni-TiC samples exhibit significant
improvement in microhardness, compression strength, and grain size due to the
addition of titanium carbide (TiC) particles. The grain size of Ni reduces to approx.
40 nm from approx. 55 nm. The microhardness increases from 294 to 483 HV by
increasing the weight percentage of TiC from 5 to 25.
Keywords Mechanical alloying (MA) · Spark-plasma sintering (SPS) ·
Nickel–titanium carbide composites · Microhardness
Introduction
A metal matrix composite (MMC) is a type of alloy which gained popularity through
government-funded programs interested in developing new materials for military
G. Walunj · A. Bearden · A. Patil · T. Larimian · T. Borkar (B)
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Washkewicz College of Engineering,
Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH 44115, USA
e-mail: t.borkar@csuohio.edu
G. Walunj
e-mail: g.walunj@vikes.csuohio.edu
J. Christudasjustus · R. Gupta
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Corrosion Engineering Program,
The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325, USA
© The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society 2021
T. S. Srivatsan et al. (eds.), Metal-Matrix Composites, The Minerals, Metals
& Materials Series, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65249-4_4
65
and Spark Plasma Sintering Processing
on Nickel–Titanium Carbide Composites
Ganesh Walunj, Anthony Bearden, Amit Patil, Taban Larimian,
Jijo Christudasjustus, Rajeev Gupta, and Tushar Borkar
Abstract The influence of variations in the titanium carbide (TiC) content employed
during spark plasma sintering (SPS) of nickel–titanium carbide (Ni-TiC) composites
on its microstructure and mechanical properties has been investigated systematically.
Mechanical alloying (MA) uses a technique of cold welding and repetitive fracturing
of composite powder to make homogenous alloys powder. The SPS consolidates alloy
powder into dense samples using joule heating at a lower temperature. Mechanical
alloying was performed using a planetary high energy ball mill with 400 rpm and
ball to powder ratio 15:1 for 24 h. Bulk Ni-TiC composites (with TiC content varying
from 5 to 25 wt.%) consolidated via mechanical alloying followed by SPS at 65 MPa
pressure and 900 °C temperature. All consolidated Ni-TiC samples exhibit significant
improvement in microhardness, compression strength, and grain size due to the
addition of titanium carbide (TiC) particles. The grain size of Ni reduces to approx.
40 nm from approx. 55 nm. The microhardness increases from 294 to 483 HV by
increasing the weight percentage of TiC from 5 to 25.
Keywords Mechanical alloying (MA) · Spark-plasma sintering (SPS) ·
Nickel–titanium carbide composites · Microhardness
Introduction
A metal matrix composite (MMC) is a type of alloy which gained popularity through
government-funded programs interested in developing new materials for military
G. Walunj · A. Bearden · A. Patil · T. Larimian · T. Borkar (B)
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Washkewicz College of Engineering,
Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH 44115, USA
e-mail: t.borkar@csuohio.edu
G. Walunj
e-mail: g.walunj@vikes.csuohio.edu
J. Christudasjustus · R. Gupta
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Corrosion Engineering Program,
The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325, USA
© The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society 2021
T. S. Srivatsan et al. (eds.), Metal-Matrix Composites, The Minerals, Metals
& Materials Series, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65249-4_4
65