Preparation of a TiB2 composite with a nickel matrix by pulse plasma sintering with combustion synthesis

Ti/B/Ni powders were sintered in a pulsed plasma with the participation of the SHS reaction. The material obtained after 10 min of this combined process was a composite that contained TiB2 and Ni phases. Microscopic examinations have shown that nickel occurs at the boundaries of the TiB2 grains, where it forms a thin film, and also appears in the form of small agglomerates. The density of the composites is 99.8%, and their hardness is 2500 HV1.