Effect of Varying Wt% of TiC on Mechanical and Wear Properties of RZ5-TiC In-Situ Composite

The purpose of this article is to enhance the mechanical properties and wear resistance of the RZ5 alloy used in the aerospace application by adding TiC particles. The present study discusses processing of in-situ RZ5-TiC composite fabricated by self-propagating high temperature (S.H.S.) method and its wear behavior. The effects of TiC particle on mechanical and microstructural properties of the composite are studied. The wear test is performed by varying the sliding distance and applied load. The composite is characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The results exhibited the properties like strength and hardness of RZ5-10wt%TiC composite has been increased considerably, while grain size is decreased as compared to the RZ5 alloy. The fractography indicated mixed mode (quasi-cleavage and ductile feature) failure of the composites. The wear results showed improvement in wear resistance of the composite. The FESEM showed dominate wear mechanisms are abrasion, ploughing grooves.