Reactive hot pressing of TiC0.5 ceramic at low applied pressure with 1 wt% Ni additive

Abstract Densification in non‐stoichiometric TiC 0.5 ceramic has been studied by reactive hot pressing (RHP) of Ti:0.5C composition at 4–40 MPa, 1200°C for 60 min. Incomplete reaction and 94% relative density (RD) at a pressure of 4 MPa changed to 99% RD and a negligible amount of residual Ti at 40 MPa. In contrast, the addition of 1 wt% Ni in the starting Ti‐0.5C powder mixture resulted in full density at a lower pressure of 4 MPa, leading to comparable hardness. It is argued that both, reaction as well as densification, were improved by the formation of transient Ti‐Ni liquid phase. The enhanced RD and residual metallic phase in the nickel‐containing non‐stoichiometric TiC 0.5 showed high flexural strength (537 ± 79 MPa), which is comparable to values obtained from materials processed at high temperature and pressure.