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Effect of quenching on the matrix microstructure of SiCf/Ti–6Al–4V composites

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Abstract

Heat treatment can change the matrix microstructure of metal based composites, which leads to the change of mechanical properties of the composites. In the present work, the variation of microstructure and hardness of the matrix of SiCf/Ti–6Al–4V composites prepared by foil-fiber-foil (FFF) method were investigated after quenching from 950, 980 and 990 °C. The results indicated that the β transus temperature of the matrix was close to 990 °C, which is slightly higher than that of the Ti–6Al–4V alloy, which is between 950 and 970 °C. This increase was attributed to the diffusion effect of carbon atoms. Some carbide particles were precipitated at the prior β grain boundaries when full martensite was obtained. Transmission electron microscopy examination observed three α′ variants that obeyed the Burgers orientation relationship with the β phase in the sample quenched from 950 °C. The hardness of the matrix increased with the increase in quenching temperature, and the highest hardness of 420 HV was obtained after quenching from 990 °C, which is much higher than that of the Ti–6Al–4V alloy. The high hardness was resulted from phase transformation strengthening by martensite, solid solution strengthening of carbon atoms and the dispersion strengthening of TiC precipitates.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge to the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51201134 and 51271147) and the Research Fund of the State Key Laboratory of Solidification Processing (NWPU), China (Grant No. 115-QP-2014), for financial supports. The first author thanks China Scholarship Council (No. 201606295009) and Top International University Visiting Program for Outstanding Young scholars of Northwestern Polytechnical University for supporting his collaborative work at the University of Queensland. Thanks are also given to Dr. Xiaoyu Li for his help on using the vacuum hot pressing furnace and heat treatment furnace.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Lab of Solidification Processing, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, 710072, People’s Republic of China

    X. Luo, Y. R. Zhu, Y. Q. Yang, B. Huang, N. Jin & J. J. Xu

  2. School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia

    M. X. Zhang

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  1. X. Luo
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  2. Y. R. Zhu
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Correspondence to X. Luo.

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Luo, X., Zhu, Y.R., Yang, Y.Q. et al. Effect of quenching on the matrix microstructure of SiCf/Ti–6Al–4V composites. J Mater Sci 53, 1922–1932 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-017-1671-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-017-1671-8

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