The formation mechanism of TiC reinforcement and improved tensile strength in additive manufactured Ti matrix nanocomposite

The nanoscale TiC reinforced Ti matrix nanocomposites with nearly full density of 98.2% were fabricated by selective laser melting. Owing to the unique metallurgical action of SLM, the TiC exhibited two typical morphologies: nanoscale lamellar and submicron strip structures, and showed a uniform network distribution. The formation mechanism of TiC was investigated in detail. The SLM-processed Ti matrix nanocomposite possessed a significantly enhanced tensile strength of 914 MPa due to the formation and uniform dispersion of nanoscale TiC.