Bulk Ti1−xAlxN nanocomposite via spark plasma sintering of nanostructured Ti1−xAlxN–AlN powders

We present successful preparation of bulk Ti1−xAlxN nanocomposite via spark plasma sintering (SPS) of nanostructured Ti1−xAlxN–AlN powders. The density, microhardness and fracture toughness of the composite increase with increasing sintering temperature up to 1600 °C. Increasing the content of the Ti1−xAlxN solid solution results in a remarkable increase in the material’s mechanical characteristics. All these characteristics are comparable to or better than that of TiN. The bulk nanostructured Ti1−xAlxN densified by SPS at 1600 °C has a microhardness of 17.5 GPa and a fracture toughness of 7.25 MPa m1/2.