Tailoring a novel network reinforcement architecture exploiting superior tensile properties of in situ TiBw/Ti composites

As a success to challenge the brittleness of titanium matrix composites (TMCs) fabricated by powder metallurgy (PM), both the ductility and the strength have been significantly improved by tailoring a novel network reinforcement distribution. TiB whiskers are in situ synthesized along the “grain boundaries” of large titanium matrix particles and subsequently formed into a unique network architecture. The experimental results show that the as-sintered 8.5 vol.% TiBw/Ti composite with a network microstructure exhibit a superior elongation of 11.8% allied with a strength increment of 74.6%. The significant improvement of ductility can be attributed to the network architecture, the retained large matrix particle and the interpenetrating matrix microstructure, while the superior strengthening effect can be attributed to the network architecture and the branched and dowel-like TiB whiskers.