INTEGRATED FABRICATION PROCESS AND LAYERED MANUFACTURING OF FULLY DENSE Ti_3SiC_2 POWDER-BASED STRUCTURES

摘要

Ti_3SiC_2 carbide represents a new class of ceramics with unique electrical and mechanical properties. This paper presents a development of using an integrated three-stage fabrication process, i. e., three-dimensional layered printing, cold isostatic pressing, and sintering processing to freeform fabrication of three-dimensional Ti_3SiC_2 structures with complex geometry and high density. Results of each process and their effects on the prototyped structural geometry and density of fabricated Ti_3SiC_2 components are reported and compared. Current studies reveal that the developed integrated process was capable of fabricating fully dense (density>99%) structures with complex geometries based on pre-coated Ti_3SiC_2 powder.