Modification and control of TiC morphology by various ways in arc melted TiC/Ti–6Al–4V composites

Abstract

The effects of carbon sources, cooling rate, alloying elements and heat treatment on the morphology of TiC were investigated in arc melted TiC/Ti–6Al–4V composites. It was observed that different carbon sources of the composites led to different morphologies of TiC, and the carbon source of carbon powder was found to be more useful in restraining the dendritic growth of TiC. Increasing the cooling rate can reduce the size of TiC, and the refinement effect is more obvious in the composite with carbon powder as the carbon source. The addition of 0·3 wt-%Ni promotes the dendritic growth of TiC; however, the TiC particles become fine and dispersed when 0·3 wt-%Sn is added in the composites. TiC particles in the composites can be dissolved and gradually spheroidised with increasing holding time when heat treated at 1050°C.