Lianbing Zhong,Guihong Geng,Yujin Wang,Feng Ye,Limeng Liu
A fully dense TaC ceramic was prepared by hot pressing using 10 mol% ZrC plus 5 mol% Cu as a sintering aid. Formation of (Ta, Zr)C solid solution (ss) by reaction between TaC and ZrC facilitated densification. Addition of Cu refined the microstructure and consequently improved flexural strength of the TaC ceramics. TEM investigation found ubiquitous precipitation of nanocrystallites at multigrain conjunctions. The nanocrystallites were (Ta, Zr)C solid solution with uniform dispersion in an oxygen-rich glassy matrix. Although formation of nanoprecipitates may not much affect the mechanical properties of the TaC ceramic, the structure suggested a new type of nanoceramic worth further research.
As one of the most commonly used binary alloys , the effect of intermetallic compounds (IMCs) of Al-Cu alloys in powder metallurgy on their structure and properties is instructive for tailoring Al-Cu alloys for different applications. In this investigation, a series of Al-Cu-Ag alloys with varying Cu compositions were fabricated via hot pressing. TEM analysis identified CuAl 2 as the primary intermetallic compounds , with Ag existing in forms including Ag 2 Al, elemental Ag, and an Ag-(Cu) solid solution . The modulation of Cu content influenced the state of Ag and the mechanical behaviors of the Al-Cu-Ag alloy. Particularly, the high Al/Cu alloy, benefiting from a synergistic effect comprising stacking faults, nanoscale precipitates, and solid solutions, exhibited outstanding mechanical properties. Conversely, the Al-50Cu-3Ag alloys displayed significant brittleness , attributed to the adverse impact of large-scale intermetallic compounds and increased grain size due to the formation of CuAl 2 . The incorporation of nanoparticles effectively mitigated the grain size in high Al/Cu alloys. This study elucidates the correlation between the evolution of intermetallic compounds and composition in Al-Cu alloys, offering novel insights into the reinforcement of both Al-based and Cu-based alloys.