Microstructure and Direct Measured Micro-Strain by TEM of Hot Iso-Static Pressed Alumina-Titanium Carbide (Al2O3-TiC) Composite

Alumina-titanium carbide composite (Al2O3-TiC) is one of advance ceramic matrix composites (CMC) that have been used in machining tool and tribology application because of its excellent mechanical properties. Powder processing is often a chosen method to produce this family of material, i.e. hot pressed (HP), hot iso-static pressed (HIP), and pressure-less sintering (PS). These manufacturing techniques convert sub-micron powder into dense bulk component. Al2O3-TiC composite has been prepared by HIP process, containing 65%vol Al2O3 and 35%vol TiC. The powders were pressured and sintered at temperature between 1250˚C - 1650˚C. Thermal residual stress from Al2O3-TiC manufacturing process is conventionally unavoidable. The aim of this study is to investigate the microstructure of HIPped Al2O3-TiC composite and its residual micro-strain using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with selected area electron diffraction pattern (SADP) analysis. The Al2O3-TiC composite was prepared by high-precision machining/grinding processes then focus ion beam milling process was used to section the TEM lamella. Microstructures, grain size and phases were determined by TEM and X-ray diffractometry (XRD). Micro-strains of {200}TiC, {111}TiC , {220}TiC and {012}Al2O3 were investigated by SADP (Selected Area Diffraction Pattern). Our result revealed there is approximately 0.01 compressive strains distributed in Al2O3-TiC composite.