Reactive sintering of TiAl–Ti5Si3 in situ composites

TiAl with between 0 and 20 vol%Ti5Si3 was produced by reactive sintering (700 °C for 15 min in vacuum) of cold pressed compacts of elemental Ti, Al and Si powder. The results show that adding Si to Ti and Al reduces the swelling associated with reactive sintering of TiAl, as composites containing more than 5 vol%Ti5Si3 densified during reactive sintering. However, composites containing more than 10 vol%Ti5Si3 did not retain their shape and the TiAl+20 vol%Ti5Si3 composite completely melted during the sintering process. A thermodynamic analysis indicated that the simultaneous formation of TiAl and Ti5Si3 increases the adiabatic flame temperature during the reaction between the powders. In fact, the analysis predicted that the maximum temperature of the reaction associated with the formation TiAl+20 vol%Ti5Si3 should exceed the melting point of TiAl, and this was observed experimentally. Differential thermal analysis (DTA) revealed that an Al–Si eutectic reaction occurred in mixtures of Ti, Al and Si powders prior to the formation of the TiAl and Ti5Si3 phases. There was no such pre-reaction formation of a eutectic liquid in Ti and Al powder mixtures. The formation of the pre-reaction liquid and the increase in adiabatic flame temperature resulted in the melting that occurred and the enhanced densification (minimization of swelling) during reactive sintering of the in situ composites.