The Effects of Colloidal Processing on the Densification of Titanium Diboride (TiB2) - Alumina (Al2O3) Composites
Abstract
Titanium diboride/Alumina (TiB2/Al2O3) powders produced using self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) can be hot pressed into armor tiles that exhibit superior resistance to penetration as compared to TiB2, SiC, B4C or Al2O3. As with other advanced ceramics however, difficulties in processing TiB2/Al2O3 arise from the inability to reproduce specimens having identical microstructure and properties. Since the SHS powders are available commercially, the interactions between TiB2 and Al2O3 have been analyzed with respect to their colloidal properties, as measured by their respective zeta potentials, density, volume fraction, and particle size. A comparison of colloidal properties, green and sintered densities and microstructure of Composite SHS TiB2/Al2O3 and SHS TiB2 with commercially available Aluminas has been completed. Although SuspensionStability(copyright) predicts the colloidal behavior of SHS TiB2 in Alumina, the SHS Composite powders seem to be insensitive to colloidal processing, and the continuous microstructure associated with penetration resistance is predominantly characteristic of SHS Composite TiB2/Al2O3 starting powders.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA457276
Entities
People
- Ernest Chin
- Gary Gilde
- Lisa P. Franks
- Melissa J. Crimp
Organizations
- Tank-automotive and Armaments Command