Some physical properties of an Al2O3-SiC-TiC composite

Ceramic samples obtained by hot pressing from a mixture of Al2O3 with admixtures of 23 vol.% TiC powder and 30.9 vol.% SiC whisker crystals are investigated experimentally. The resistivity of the material is measured at temperatures of 4.2-300 K, the infrared reflection spectra are recorded in the region 400-4200 cm(-1), and the temperature dependence of the Young's modulus is investigated at temperatures up to 1300 K. As a result it is it is shown that the conductivity and optical reflection of the high-strength composite have a semimetallic character, which is due to the titanium carbide particles contained in it. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics. [S1063-7850(97)01012-4].