Effects of SiC amount on phase compositions and properties of Ti_3SiC_2-based composites

The phase compositions and properties of Ti3SiC2-based composites with SiC addition of 5%-30% in mass fraction fabricated by in-situ reaction and hot pressing sintering were studied. SiC addition effectively prevented TiC synthesis but facilitated SiC synthesis. The Ti3SiC2/Ti C-SiC composite had better oxidation resistance when SiC added quantity reached 20% but poorer oxidation resistance with SiC addition under 15% than Ti3SiC2/TiC composite at higher temperatures. There were more than half of the original SiC and a few Ti3SiC2 remaining in Ti3SiC2/Ti C-SiC with 20% SiC addition, but all constituents in Ti3Si2/TiC composite were oxidized after 12 h in air at 1500 °C. The oxidation scale thickness of TS30, 1505.78 μm, was near a half of that of T,2715 μm, at 1500 °C for 20 h. Ti3SiC2/Ti C composite had a flexural strength of 474 MPa, which was surpassed by Ti3SiC2/TiC-SiC composites when SiC added amount reached 15%. The strength reached the peak of 518 MPa at 20% SiC added amount.