GB752361A - Method of preparing compact bodies of tough heat-resistant and light materials - Google Patents

Abstract

A titanium carbide body is produced by forming a mixture of titanium carbide TiC and 10-35 per cent of titanium hydride, compressing into briquettes, heating to a temperature sufficient to decompose the hydride, e.g. 1000 DEG C. in an atmosphere of hydrogen or a rare gas such as argon, crushing to powder, compressing the powder to the required final shape and finally heating in an atmosphere of hydrogen or a rare gas at a temperature above 1800 DEG C. Intermediate heating and crushing may be dispensed with in high titanium carbide mixtures, e.g. 90 per cent titanium carbide, if heating up to 1000 DEG C. is sufficiently slow. Instead of moulding to the desired final shape, a roughly moulded mass may be heated to about 1300 DEG C. machined to the desired shape, and then sintered to the desired final temperature. When using a hydrogen atmosphere graphite parts may be coated with aluminium to prevent reaction with hydrogen. Alternatively heating may be effected in a current of hydrogen up to a temperature of 1000 DEG C. and then substituted by argon. According to the Example a product having a density of 4.85 gm./cm3 and a hardness of 1,500 kg./mm.2 Vickers is obtained.