Effects of carbon nano-additives on characteristics of TiC ceramics prepared by field-assisted sintering

Five carbonaceous nano-additives (graphite, graphene, carbon black, nanotubes, and diamond) had different impacts on the sinterability, microstructural evolution, properties of titanium carbide. In this research, sintering by spark plasma was employed to produce monolithic TiC carbon-doped ceramics under parameters 1900 ºC, 10 min, 40 MPa. The black additive best performance in densifying TiC, thanks its fine particle size, as well high chemical reactivity with TiO2 surface oxide. By contrast, incorporation nano-diamonds resulted a considerable decline relative density owing graphitization phenomenon, together gas production at temperatures. Although precipitation from matrix occurred all samples, some added phases promoted while others hindered it extent. Amongst introduced additives, most contribution grain refining, so that roughly halved average size attained comparison undoped specimen. highest values hardness (3233 HV0.1 kg), thermal conductivity (25.1 W/mK), flexural strength (658 MPa) secured for ceramic incorporated 5 wt% nano black.