ZTA-TiC composite,which possesses attractive mechanical properties,good electrical and thermal conductivities,has attracted significant attention because of its potential applications in many aspects,such as bearing components,cutting tool inserts,valve seats,pump components,oxygen sensors,dies and prosthetic components applications.The commercialα-Al2O3(99.99%)with average particle size of 30 nm YSZ(3 mol%Y2O3 stabilized ZrO299.99%)and TiC(99%)both with average particle size of 50 nm were used as starting powders.Theα-Al2O3,ZrO2 and TiC was mixed in different ratios and mechanically milled in a planetary ball mill.Alcohol as the milling media was added into the powder mixture and was wet-mixed by ZrO2 grinding ball milling in a zirconia jar for 20 h.After being mixed,dried and sieved,the powders were loaded into the cylinder dies and sintered by the spark plasma sintering(SPS)apparatus in vacuum(<10 Pa)at temperature of 1400℃,with a pressing pressure of 40 MPa.The holding time was 10 min.Before examination,the surfaces of the samples were ground to remove the graphite layer.
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