Journal of Alloys and Compounds 366 (2004) L9–L12

Letter
Effect of Al content on the self-propagating high-temperature synthesis
reaction of Al–Ti–C system in molten magnesium
H.Y. Wang a , Q.C. Jiang a,∗ , X.L. Li b , F. Zhao a
a Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Nanling Campus, No. 142 Renmin Street, Changchun 130025, PR China
b The Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials, Jilin University, Ministry of Education, No. 142 Renmin Street, Changchun 130025, PR China

Received 8 May 2003; received in revised form 15 July 2003; accepted 15 July 2003

Abstract

The effect of Al content on the self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) reaction of the Al–Ti–C preform in molten magnesium
was investigated. As the Al content in the preforms was increased over the range of 20–40 wt.%, the TiC particulate sizes decreased from ∼5.0
to ∼1.0 ␮m. Microstructural characterization of the TiC/Mg (AZ91D) composite showed relatively uniform distribution of TiC particulates
in the matrix material and the presence of minimal micro-porosity.
© 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Magnesium; Composites; In situ; Self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) reaction; Aluminum content

1. Introduction fortunately, research efforts on the processing of in situ TiC

particulate reinforced magnesium MMCs are rather limited
During the past decade, considerable research efforts have [11,12].
been directed towards the development of in situ metal ma- In the present study, the effect of Al content on the SHS
trix composites (MMCs), in which the reinforcements are reaction of the Al–Ti–C preform in molten magnesium was
formed in situ by exothermal reactions among elements or investigated. The purpose of this study is to provide an opti-
between an element and a compound [1,2]. Because of the mal process parameter for in situ formed TiC/Mg composite
formation of clean, ultrafine and stable ceramic reinforce- production. It is expected that the preliminary results can be
ments, the in situ MMCs exhibit excellent mechanical prop- significant in promoting the development of in situ synthesis
erties. In the field of the self-propagating high-temperature of TiC/Mg composites.
synthesis (SHS), the Al–Ti–C system has been extensively
studied by a number of researchers, and it has been com-
monly considered to be a typical system widely used for 2. Experimental
fabricating in situ MMCs [3–10].
The effect of aluminum addition on the SHS reaction be- The preforms in this study were made from commercial
tween titanium and carbon to form TiC under an argon pro- powders of aluminum (98.0% purity), titanium (99.5% pu-
tective atmosphere has been extensively studied by Lee and rity), and graphite (99.9% purity), all with an average parti-
Chung [5] and Choi and Thee [6]; while less work has been cle size less than 44 ␮m. Titanium and carbon powders with
carried out on the reaction in molten magnesium. TiC par- an atomic ration of 1:1 mixed with 10–50 wt.% aluminum
ticulate reinforced magnesium MMCs are very interesting powder were used for the powder blends. After being suffi-
because TiC is thermodynamically stable and enhances the ciently mixed, the blends were pressed into cylindrical pre-
hardness and wear resistance of the composites [10,11]. Un- forms (20 mm diameter and 15 mm length) by using a stain-
less steel die with two plungers. The green preforms were
pressed uniaxially at pressures ranging from 70 to 75 MPa
∗ Corresponding author. Tel.: +86-431-5705592; to obtain densities of 75 ± 2% theoretical density. The pre-
fax: +86-431-5705592. forms were dried in a vacuum oven at 450 ◦ C for 3 h to
E-mail address: [email protected] (Q.C. Jiang). remove any trace of moisture. About 1 kg of commercial

0925-8388/$ – see front matter © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/S0925-8388(03)00737-0
L10 H.Y. Wang et al. / Journal of Alloys and Compounds 366 (2004) L9–L12

AZ91D magnesium alloy melts were prepared in a graphite

crucible in an electric resistance furnace at 760 ◦ C under a
SF6 /CO2 protective atmosphere. One hundred and twenty
grams of prepared preforms with a 10 wt.% Al content were
added into 1 kg sample of molten magnesium. After about
2 min, one of the preforms was removed from the melt and
water-quenched immediately. After about 10 min, the molten
magnesium was stirred with a graphite stirrer for 20 min to
assist the dispersion of the generated TiC particulates into
the molten magnesium. The preforms with various amounts
of aluminum (20–50 wt.%) were also carried out using steps
similar to those employed for the preforms of 10 wt.% Al. Fig. 2. XRD patterns of the water-quenched preforms fabricated by a
It should be noted that the preforms of 50 wt.% Al cannot SHS reaction in molten magnesium from the green preforms with a Ti/C
(molar ratio) = 1.0 mixed with (a) 10 wt.%, (b) 20 wt.%, (c) 30 wt.%,
be removed from the melt because the preforms had dis-
and (d) 40 wt.% Al.
persed into the molten magnesium in 2 min. The composite
melts were cast into a copper mold to produce ingots of Φ
55 mm × 100 mm. action in the melts was not observed. It was found that the
Microstructures and phases of the water-quenched pre- preforms of 50 wt.% Al had dispersed into the molten mag-
forms and composites were investigated by using scanning nesium in 2 min, and there was a substantial amount of un-
electron microscopy (SEM) (Model JSM-5310, Japan), reacted carbon that floated on the surface of the melts during
energy-dispersive spectral (EDS) (Model Link-Isis, Britain), stirring. Furthermore, a large amount of residual Ti (identi-
and X-ray diffraction (XRD) (Model D/Max 2500PC fied by XRD result) was found in the bottom of the melts
Rigaku, Japan). after stirring.
According to [12], the exothermic reaction that occurs in
molten magnesium is a SHS reaction with a simultaneous
3. Results and discussion combustion mode, since the exothermic reaction is initiated
throughout the entire preform by the heat of molten magne-
When the Al content was 20–40 wt.% in preforms, an sium.
exothermic reaction in the melts was observed immediately Figs. 1 and 2 show the SEM microstructures and XRD
after the preforms were added into the molten magnesium; patterns of the water-quenched preforms fabricated by a SHS
however, when the Al content was 10 or 50 wt.%, the re- reaction in molten magnesium from the green preforms with

Fig. 1. Typical SEM microstructures of the water-quenched preforms fabricated by a SHS reaction in molten magnesium from the green preforms with
a Ti/C (molar ratio) = 1.0 mixed with (a) 10 wt.%, (b) 20 wt.%, (c) 30 wt.%, and (d) 40 wt.% Al.
 H.Y. Wang et al. / Journal of Alloys and Compounds 366 (2004) L9–L12 L11

a Ti/C (molar ratio) = 1.0 mixed with 10–40 wt.% Al, re- Table 1
spectively. According to the XRD patterns, the quenched Effect of Al content in the Al–Ti–C system on the TiC particulate sizes
in the water-quenched preforms fabricated by SHS in molten magnesium
preform of 10 wt.% Al consists of Mg, TiAl, TiC, and resid-
ual Ti and C, as shown in Fig. 2(a). However, the preforms Al content in the Al–Ti–C system (wt.%) TiC particulate size (␮m)
of 20–40 wt.% Al consist of Mg, TiC and Al, as shown in 20 ∼5.0
Fig. 2(b)–(d). Based on the results, it is believed that the TiC 30 ∼2.5
formation reaction in the quenched preform did occur. The 40 ∼1.0
presence of Mg phase in the quenched Al–Ti–C preforms
is attributed to the infiltration and diffusion of the molten
magnesium into the preforms. because grain growth of TiC is an exponential function of the
According to [11,12], the addition of aluminum provides combustion temperature [6]. In addition, Al phase serves as
an easier route for the TiC formation in the Al–Ti–C pre- a diluent and might prevent the diffusion of carbon between
form. During the SHS process, the reactions between Al and TiC grains. It is reported that the grain growth of TiC in the
Ti to form TiAlx (TiAl, TiAl3 ) compounds occur initially, combustion reaction between Ti and C is controlled by the
which further react with C to form a more thermodynami- C diffusion through TiC [5,6,13].
cally stable TiC. In the present study, SEM and EDS results Although TiC is formed in the preforms of 20–40 wt.%
indicate that the surface of Ti in the quenched preform of Al, it should be noted that it is difficult for TiC synthesized
10 wt.% Al is coated with a thin TiAl layer; in this case, in the preform of 20 wt.% Al to disperse into the molten
a slight reaction between TiAl and C to form TiC occurs magnesium. The combustion temperature in the preform of
(identified by XRD result, shown in Fig. 2(a)). However, a 20 wt.% Al is higher than that in the preform of 30–40 wt.%
slight heat release by the reaction cannot further initiate the Al [5,6]; therefore, the TiC particulates formed in this case
SHS reaction and then dissipates into the molten magne- are more densified and even sintered together. When 5 wt.%
sium. As the Al content is increased to 20–40 wt.%, the heat Mg powder is added into the green preform with a Ti/C (mo-
release of reaction between Ti and Al per unit volume of the lar ratio) = 1.0 mixed with 20 wt.% Al, the generated TiC
preform is increased. When the rate of heat release exceeds particulates can easily disperse into the molten magnesium
the rate of heat dissipation, further reaction can occur, and alloy [11]. Because 5 wt.% Mg also serves as a diluent and
then the heat liberated by the reaction can further raise the assists the dispersion of the generated TiC particulates into
temperature, facilitating a faster and faster reaction. As the the molten magnesium.
Al content is further increased to 50 wt.%, the preform has Fig. 3(a) and (b) shows the SEM microstructure and XRD
dispersed into the molten magnesium before the exothermic pattern of the TiC (5 wt.%)/Mg (AZ91D) composite fabri-
reaction is initiated owing to the aluminum melting. XRD cated by the SHS reaction of the preforms with a Ti/C (molar
analysis shows that no TiAlx or TiC is found in the magne- ratio) = 1.0 mixed with 30 wt.% Al, respectively. The as-cast
sium alloy, which confirms that the reaction did not occur. microstructure of the in situ processed composite reveals
Table 1 shows the effect of Al content in the Al–Ti–C a relatively uniform distribution of TiC particulates with
system on the TiC particulate sizes in the water-quenched a spherical size of ∼2.5 ␮m. Furthermore, microstructural
preforms fabricated by SHS in molten magnesium. The TiC characterization also shows the absence of macro-pores and
particulate sizes are decreased from ∼5.0 to ∼1.0 ␮m when blowholes; however, the presence of minimal micro-porosity
Al content in the preforms ranges from 20 to 40 wt.%. This could be detected in the composite. It has been reported
is attributed to the decrease of the combustion temperature that the composite was successfully synthesized in molten

Fig. 3. Typical SEM microstructure of TiC/Mg (AZ91D) composite synthesized by a SHS reaction in molten magnesium for preforms with a Ti/C (molar
ratio) = 1.0 mixed with 30 wt.% Al.
L12 H.Y. Wang et al. / Journal of Alloys and Compounds 366 (2004) L9–L12

Table 2 characterization showed relatively uniform distribution of

Hardness and wear rates of the as-cast unreinforced AZ91D alloy and TiC particulates in the matrix material and the presence of
TiC (5 wt.%)/AZ91D composite
minimal micro-porosity. The hardness and wear resistance
Material Hardness (HB) Wear rates of the TiC (5 wt.%)/AZ91D composite were higher than
(10−3 g/m) those of the unreinforced AZ91D alloy.
AZ91D alloy 60 1.2088
TiC (5 wt.%)/AZ91D composite 80 0.8207

Acknowledgements
magnesium by the reaction of the preforms with a Ti/C (mo-
This work is supported by the National Natural Science
lar ratio) = 1.0 mixed with 40 wt.% Al [12].
Foundation of China (No. 50171029) and the Nanoscience
Hardness and wear rates of the as-cast unreinforced
Foundation of Jilin University (No. 2001NM004).
AZ91D alloy and TiC (5 wt.%)/AZ91D composite are listed
in Table 2. The sliding abrasive wear rates were tested
under loads of 5N using a pin-on-disc apparatus. Both the
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