Bulk titanium nitride material obtained from SHS starting powder: Densification, mechanical characterization and tribological approach

Powders used for this study were synthesized by the self-propagating high temperature synthesis (SHS) process. This method allows producing titanium nitride powders in an economic and easy way. Densification of these original powders is carried out by the hot pressing process. Sintering is achieved, under a 50 MPa pressure, at different temperatures (1400 °C, 1600 °C and 1800 °C). At 1600 °C properties are optimised and bulk specimen density is superior to 98%. In addition, microhardness reaches the average value of 1790 ± 225 HV and Young modulus measured is 430 ± 10 GPa. A tribological characterization is then carried out with an adapted four balls machine tribometer. Titanium nitride tribological behavior is compared with the one of other hard materials such as 100C6 steel, titanium carbide and two cemented carbides of different compositions. Parameters such as toughness, hardness and wear volume are correlated in order to understand wear mechanisms origins.