Microstructure evolution of TiC cermets with ferritic AISI 430L steel binder

ABSTRACT

From the outlook of healthcare, economic importance and supply risk, utilisation of raw materials like tungsten, cobalt and nickel should be reduced or replaced with other metals. Nontoxic titanium carbide and iron are the top-of-the-line solution for displacing these materials. Our focus was on conventionally fabricated titanium carbide-based cermets with a chromium ferritic steel binder. To study microstructural evolution, specimens were sintered at different temperatures (600–1500°C). We used a scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry to analyse the microstructure and phase formation of the cermets. Our results showed that during the solid and liquid phase sintering of the TiC–FeCr cermet, chromium ferrous complex carbides M₇C₃ are formed and as a result, chromium content in the binder phase is decreased. Alloying TiC–FeCr cermets with strong carbide formers improves the structural homogeneity of the cermets. Also, mechanical characteristics (hardness, fracture toughness) were evaluated.

KEYWORDS:

• Titanium carbide-based cermets
• alternative steel binders
• microstructure evaluation
• phase formation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Märt Kolnes is an early Stage Researcher at Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering.

Jakob Kübarsepp is a Professor at Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering.

Arvo Mere is an Associate Professor at Department of Cybernetics and Senior Research Scientist at Department of Materials and Environmental Technology.

Mart Viljus is a Senior Research Scientist at Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering.

Birgit Maaten is an Early Stage Researcher at Department of Energy Technology.

Marek Tarraste is an Early Stage Researcher at Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering.

ORCID

Arvo Mere http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9070-3970

Birgit Maaten http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4641-1484

Marek Tarraste http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3269-9648

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by institutional research fundings IUT (19–29) and IUT (19–4) of the Ministry of Education and Research and by the European Regional Development Fund project TK141 ‘Advanced materials and high-technology devices for energy recuperation systems’.