Fabrication and Properties of Nanostructtned 3Ti-2Al(2)O(3) Composites by a Pulsed Current Activated Sintering Method

Nanopowders of TiO2 and Al were prepared from a high energy ball milling method to fabricate sintered 3Ti-Al2O3 composites with nanostructures. A dense nanocrystalline 3Ti-2Al(2)O(3) composite was consolidated by a pulsed current activated sintering method from the mechanically activated powder. Consolidation of dense 3Ti-Al2O3 composites with a relative density of up to 99% was accomplished under the combined contribution of a pulsed current and a mechanical pressure of 60 MPa. The hardness and fracture toughness of the fabricated composites were 1207 kg/mm(2) and 7 MPa . m(1/2), respectively.