Synthesis of the Ti3SiC2 MAX-phase by pressureless technique

DOI: 10.62564/M4-AR1353

Alexander Rud¹, Inna Kirian¹, Andrey Lakhnik¹, Yuliya Lepeeva¹, Oleksandr Marunyak¹, Iryna Vynnychenko¹, Mykola Skoryk¹, Vitaliy Bevz¹, Yuriy Zagorodniy², Vladimir Trachevski<sup>3

1</sup>G.V. Kurdyumov Institute for Metal Physics of N.A.S. of Ukraine
²Frantsevich Institute for Problems of Materials Science National Academy of Science of Ukraine
³Technical Center of N.A.S. of Ukraine


Recently, the practical interest of researchers has attracted the MAX phase of Ti3SiC2. This phase is characterized by high electrical and thermal conductivities, low density, high Young’s modulus and fracture toughness. The main disadvantage of existing methods for the synthesis of this MAX phase is the presence of impurity phases such as TiC, SiC, Ti5Si3 or TiSi2. The current investigation represents the results of Ti3SiC2 MAX phase synthesis by pressureless sintering. The Ti, Si, and spectrally pure graphite were used to prepare the powder blend. The homogenization of the mixture was carried out at room temperature for duration of 1 hour using a high-energy laboratory planetary mill (Fritsch Pulverisette P-6). Homogenized powder blends were compacted as cylindrical pellets which was sintered at different temperatures in an argon atmosphere for 3 h. The processes of phase formation during synthesis and the structural parameters of individual phases have been studied by SEM, XRD and NMR spectroscopy. The sample sintered at 1300 ºC from Ti3:Si1.1:C2 mixture contained several phase: Ti3SiC2, TiC, SiC and graphite. The percentage of the Ti3SiC2 estimated by full-profile analysis is only about ~ 33 wt.%. An increase in temperature leads to a growth in the content of the phase Ti3SiC2 in the sample. The highest maximum yield of the phase Ti3SiC2 ~ 81 wt.% was achieved for the Ti3:Si1.1:C2 mixture at a temperature of 1385 ºC. In addition, about 19 wt% TiC was also observed in this sample. During the heating of the powder mixture to the synthesis temperature of the MAX phase, partial evaporation of silicon occurs. It results in a significant stoichiometric ratio violation of the elements, which leads to a decrease in the content of the Ti3SiC2 phase in the sample. Increasing the silicon content in the initial mixture to ~ 2 wt.% contributed to the production of the MAX phase with a purity of ~ 95 wt.%.

Keywords
Ti3SiC2 MAX phase, pressureless synthesis, X-ray

Acknowledgments
Not provided

References
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