Mechanical Performance of Alumina Reinforced with NbC, TiC and WC

The incorporation of refractory hard particles in Al2O3-based composites may inhibit grain growth of the matrix, which could significantly contribute to mechanical performance of the composite. The present study aimed to investigate the potential use of NbC as alumina reinforcing material, as an alternative to other carbides such as TiC and WC. Alumina was mixed with a fixed carbide concentration of 30 wt.(%) in a ball mill and uniaxially hot-pressed at 1650 degrees C under a load of 30 MPa in an inert atmosphere. X-ray diffraction revealed no oxidation products were present after the sintering process. Microstructure analyses indicate a homogeneous carbide distribution in the alumina matrix. Results obtained in this study show that alumina reinforced with NbC is a composite material with properties comparable to those of alumina reinforced with WC and TiC, thereby making it good reinforcing material.