Role of layered structure in ductility improvement of Ti-B₄C/Al composite fabricated by pulse current sintering

ABSTRACT

In this study, a novel structure of layered Ti-B₄C/AA6061 composite with different B₄C particles contents was designed and fabricated by pulse current sintering, and its microstructure and mechanical properties were investigated. It is found that the heterogeneous interface bonds well without voids and cracks and the B₄C particles exhibit a homogenous distribution in AA6061matrix. The intermetallic compounds (Ti_xAl_y) are observed with a thickness of about 1.5 μm between Ti and B₄C/AA6061 layers. The yield strength, ultimate tensile strength and elongation to fracture of the layered Ti-B₄C/AA6061 composite are obviously enhanced. In addition, the Ti layers and the B₄C particles embedded in the matrix play an important role in strengthening mechanisms of the layered composite, and the crack propagation is constrained by layered structure.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Ti-B₄C/AA6061
• pulse current
• intermetallic compounds
• strengthening mechanisms

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work is supported by ‘National Natural science Foundation of China’(Grant Nos. 51805358 and 51775366), ‘Postdoctoral science Foundation of China’ (Grant No. 2018M631773) and ‘Shanxi Province Science Foundation for Youths of China’(Grant No. 201801D221122).