Temperature fluctuation/hot pressing synthesis of Ti3SiC2

A novel temperature fluctuation synthesis and simultaneous densification process for the preparation of Ti3SiC2 was developed. The advantages of this novel method include low synthesis temperature, short reaction time and simultaneous densification. The microstructure and room temperature mechanical properties of the Ti3SiC2 synthesized using this method were investigated. The result demonstrated that the Ti3SiC2 ceramic consisted of mainly laminated grains. It was found, with the aid of computer simulated crystallite shape, that the laminated Ti3SiC2 grains were composed of thin hexagonal plates. These laminated grains characterized the Ti3SiC2, and were responsible for the mechanical properties of the polycrystalline Ti3SiC2 ceramic. The measured flexural strength and the fracture toughness were 470 ± 26 MPa and 7.0 ± 0.2 MPa·m1/2, respectively. The high toughness was attributed to the contribution of crack deflection, crack bridging, delaminating and grain pull-out of laminated Ti3SiC2.