Effect of SiC Particle Size on the Physical and Mechanical Properties of NiTi Alloys

NiTi shape memory alloys have attracted significant interest due to their unique superelasticity and high damping performance. In this work, the effect of SiC particle size on both physical and mechanical properties of NiTi matrix composite was investigated. Ni and Ti powders with particle sizes of 40 µm were used with the SiC addition with varying particle sizes of 20 µm and 40 µm, respectively. Composites of NiTi with 1wt. % SiC were fabricated by powder metallurgy technique. The effects of SiCp addition on hardness, relative density and wear behavior of NiTi composites have been investigated. The samples were examined by scanning electron microscope, for microstructural studies and phase development. The results showed that the distribution of the reinforced particle was uniform. Moreover, as the SiC particle size decreases, hardness and wear resistance increase. It was demonstrated that SiC particle size significantly enhanced the wear resistance of NiTi composite.