The microstructure and properties of Cu-TiB2 composites produced by high-energy
ball-milling of TiB2 powders and spark-plasma sintering (SPS) were investigated. TiB2 powders were
mechanically milled at a rotation speed of 1000rpm for short time in Ar atmosphere, using a planetary
ball mill. To produce Cu-xTiB2 composites( x = 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10wt.% ), the raw and milled TiB2
powders were mixed with Cu powders by means of a turbular mixer, respectively. Sintering of mixed
powders was carried out in a SPS facility under vacuum.
High-energy ball-milling resulted in refinement of TiB2 particles. XRD patterns of milled TiB2
powders indicated broader TiB2 peaks with decreased intensities. After sintering at 950 for 5min
using the raw and milled TiB2 mixture powders, the sintered density decreased with increasing TiB2
content regardless of milling of TiB2. In the case of raw TiB2, hardness rapidly increased from 4 to 44
HRB with increasing TiB2 content. The electrical conductivity changed from 95.5 to 80.7 %IACS. For
mixtures of Cu powders with milled TiB2 powders, hardness increased from 38 to 67 HRB as TiB2
content increased, while the electrical conductivity varied from 88% to 51 % IACS. When compared
to compacts sintered with raw and milled TiB2 powders, the electrical conductivity of specimens with
raw TiB2 powder was higher than that of specimens with milled TiB2 powder, while hardness was
slightly lower.