Synthesis of TiC/Ti-Cu composites by pressureless reactive infiltration of TiCu alloy into carbon preforms fabricated by 3D-printing

The microstructure of dense TiC/Ti-Cu composites fabricated by pressureless infiltration of TiCu alloy into porous starch derived carbon preform produced by 3D-printing has been studied. The reactive melt infiltration was carried out at 1100 °C in a flowing Ar atmosphere and resulted in formation of a composite comprised predominantly of substoichiometric TiCx (x=0.78), binary intermetallic Ti-Cu phases and residual carbon. SEM analyses revealed a microstructure consisting of a dispersed fine-grained TiC0.78 (∼7 μm) in a Ti-Cu matrix.