Spark plasma sintering and characterization of GNP-doped B4C-TiB2 ceramics
UYGUN B. 1, AKIN I. 1, SAHIN F. 1
1 Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey
Boron carbide (B4C) ceramics have high hardness, low density, high wear resistance, and chemical inertness but they are difficult to sinter to high density due to their covalent structure. The inability to achieve high density by using conventional sintering processes causes low fracture toughness in the final products. It is possible to overcome these drawbacks by using various additives in B4C ceramics during their sintering and applying novel sintering methods. In this study titanium diboride (TiB2) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) were added to boron carbide to obtain easy-to-sinter ceramics with improved fracture toughness by spark plasma sintering. In the experimental stage, B4C and 15 vol.% TiB2 powders were mixed as a matrix, and 1, 2, and 3 vol.% GNPs were added as reinforcement. The powder mixtures were then spark plasma sintered at various temperatures. Some mechanical properties such as fracture toughness, hardness, and relative density of the obtained samples were investigated, and microstructural characterizations were carried out.