Pressureless Sintering and Properties of Ti_3AlC_2

摘要

Pressureless sintering of titanium aluminum carbide (Ti_3AlC_2) is difficult due to its easy decomposability at high temperatures, thus decomposition must be avoided during sintering. In this work, pressureless sintering was performed in different embedded powders and Al_4C_3 was found to be effective to inhibit Ti_3AlC_2 from decomposition due to the offering of Al rich ambience. High-density Ti_3AlC_2 was obtained by pressureless sintering in Al_4C_3 powder bed without additives. The good sinterability is due to the special crystal structure of Ti_3AlC_2 and the easy diffusion of Al atoms. The mechanical properties of pressureless sintered Ti_3AlC_2 are comparable to those of the hot-pressed ones.