Investigation into the Structure Formation and Properties of Materials in the Copper–Titanium Disilicide System

Abstract

The structure formation and properties during infiltration, free sintering, and spark-plasma sintering in Cu–(12.5–37.5 vol %) powder materials Ti₃SiC₂ are investigated by electron microscopy, X-ray phase analysis, and energy-dispersion analysis. The independence of the phase composition of composite materials (CMs) on the sintering method and temperature in a range of 900–1200°C is established. The peculiarities of formation of the CM structure during sintering are the intercalation of silicon from titanium carbosilicide and the formation of a carbon solid solution based on Ti₅Si₃(C) titanium disilicide, small amounts of titanium carbide, silicon carbide, and TiSi₂ silicide. An increase in Ti₃SiC₂ in the CM certainly lowers electrical conductivity, but considerably increases the hardness, strength, and electroerosion wear resistance of CM electrodes for electroerosion broaching.