Dissolution and Reprecipitation Behavior of TiC-TiN-Ni Cermets During Liquid-Phase Sintering

An attempt was made to understand the dissolution and reprecipitation behavior of the constituent phases such as TiC, TiN, and Ti(CN) in TiC-TiN-Ni system. During the liquid-phase sintering the TiC phase was found to dissolve preferentially in Ni binder. The solid-solution phase, Ti(CN), formed around the TiN phase, resulting in a core/rim structure. This result was reproduced when large TiC particles were used with fine TiN particles. The path for the microstructural change in TiC-TiN-Ni system was largely controlled by the difference in the interfacial energy of each phase with the liquid binder phase. The results were discussed with thermodynamic principles.