The influence of high energy milling and sintering parameters on reactive sintered (Ti, Mo)C–Ni cermets

• High energy milling and reactive sintering was used to produce (Ti, Mo)C–Ni cermets.
• A linear relationship between milling time and oxygen contamination was observed.
• TiC grain cores were visible with shorter milling durations.
• Optimal milling time was found to be 6 h.
• Mechanical properties above 1500 HV10 and 1.1 GPa were obtained.

Reactive sintering was used to produce titanium carbide cermets with molybdenum as an alloying element and nickel for binder. High energy attritor mill was used to mill the same composition of Ti, C, Ni and Mo powders with different durations. High energy milling significantly reduces the temperatures at which a series of reactions occurs between metal and carbon during the heating. A two-step sintering cycle was used with vacuum and argon gas isostatic pressure as sintering atmospheres. Dense (Ti, Mo)C–17 wt%Ni cermets were obtained with mechanical properties above 1500 HV10 and 1.1 GPa. The optimum milling duration was found to be 6 h of milling with the available attritor. The powders were investigated with SEM, XRD and by oxygen/nitrogen analysis. The materials were characterised by density, Vicker’s hardness and transverse rupture strength were studied.