Synthesis of high-purity Ti3SiC2 through pulse discharge sintering of TiH2/SiC/C powder mixture

Tertiary compound Ti3SiC2 was Successfully synthesized by pulse discharge sintering the powder mixture of TiH2/SiC/C. When the molar ratio of the starting powder mixture was selected to be TiH2 : SiC : C =2.8 : I : 0.8, single-phase dense Ti3SiC2 was synthesized at 1400 degrees C for 20 mn. The grain size of synthesized Ti3SiC2 strongly depends on the sintering temperature. The synthesis mechanism of Ti3SiC2 was revealed to be completed via the reactions among the intermediate phases of Ti5Si3Cx, and TiC. It is found that dehydrogenation was accelerated by the synthesis reaction during sintering progress. Compared with Ti/SiC/C powder mixture, the TiH2,/SiC/C mixed powder is favorable for synthesizing Ti3SiC2, through PDS technique.