Fabricating Ti₃SiC₂-diamond composites by spark plasma sintering induced self-propagation reaction

Ti₃SiC₂-diamond composites were fabricated by spark plasma sintering induced selfpropagation reaction with 3Ti/Si/2C powders as bonder.The effect of holding time on the phase composition and microstructure of composites were studied.The result shows that Ti₃SiC₂ phase is formed when heated at 1170℃, whose main phases are Ti₃SiC₂, Ti₅Si₃ and TiC.It is also found that Ti₃SiC₂ content in the sample obtained at 1500℃is higher with fully reacted raw materials.The main phase of the sample containing 10wt% diamond is Ti₃SiC₂ and TiC.Additionally, small amounts of Si, SiC and diamond are also obtained.Ti₃SiC₂ content in the sample with holding time of 1min is higher, whose grains is lathe-structured and bonds well with diamond.Ti₃SiC₂ content in the sample with holding time of 5 min is lower, mainly composed of many TiC particles.In addition, the diamond is seriously graphitized, forming thick transition layer.