Influence of Ti3AlC2 on microstructure and thermal mechanical properties of Al2O3-Ti3AlC2-C refractories

Al2O3-Ti3AlC2-C refractories with different carbon content were prepared by using Ti3AlC2 as substitute for partially graphite. The influences of Ti3AlC2 on microstructure and thermal mechanical properties of Al2O3-Ti3AlC2-C refractories were investigated. The drastic deterioration in thermal mechanical properties of Al2O3-Ti3AlC2-C refractories was effectively prevented by reducing carbon content from 10 to 4 wt%. Particular attention was paid to the microstructure evolution of Ti3AlC2, the formations of Al2TiO5, SiAlON and Al-Si-C-O whiskers were developed to explain the limited fall in strength after thermal shock test in our works. The formation mechanism of the new bonded phases in the specimen with Ti3AlC2 was explained in this paper. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l. All rights reserved.