Preparation of materials based on Ti-Si-C system using high temperature-high pressure method

A method for densification of Ti3SiC2 powder (the SHS product) in high temperature-high pressure (HT-HP) Bridgman type apparatus was used. Compacts were sintered at pressure of 4.0 ± 0.2 GPa and temperature about 1400 °C for 1, 2 and 3 min. The results of X-ray phase composition analysis of SHS powders were confronted with the phase analysis of obtained compacts. Some of physical and mechanical properties of Ti3SiC2 compacts were presented and compared to the properties of compacts prepared by HIP method. HT-HP sintered compacts had very high hardness but low fracture toughness. This material did not show plastic behavior similar to hot pressed 85 vol.% Ti3SiC2 with 15 vol.% of TiC. The HP-HT technique always introduces strong structural stresses in compacts, which might result in cracks and even their self-fragmentation. High hardness and sinterability pretend this material for the binder application in polycrystalline diamond compacts (PCD).