Microstructural and Mechanical Properties of Ti-B<inf>4</inf>C/CNF Functionally Graded Materials

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the microstructural and mechanical properties of titanium (Ti) matrix boron carbide (B4C) + carbon nanofiber (CNF)-reinforced functional-graded materials (FGMs) produced using the powder metallurgy method. B4C was added to the Ti matrix at different rates, namely, 5, 10, and 15% by volume, and CNF was added at a rate of 0.5% by volume. The effect of B4C and CNF on the properties of these composite layers was then investigated. In addition, the mechanical properties of the FGMs were compared with the mechanical properties of non-layered structures. In addition, the microstructural, phase formation, hardness, and transverse rupture strength properties of the samples were investigated in detail. The microstructural investigation revealed that the B4C and CNF were homogeneously distributed throughout the Ti matrix and that the layers had bonded properly. With the addition of B4C and CNF, the hardness of the materials increased significantly. The transverse rupture strengths of the FGMs were higher than those of the non-layered samples (with the exception of pure Ti), indicating that the middle layers increased the toughness of the materials.