Effect of Excess Silicon on the Formation of Ti3SiC2Using Free Ti/Si/C Powders Synthesized via Arc Melting

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of excess silicon on the formation of from free Ti/Si/C powders synthesized via arc melting. The reactant mixture was prepared according to the off-stoichiometric ratio of 3Ti : ()Si : 2C, where (excess Si) varied from 0 to 0.5. Samples were analyzed using X-ray diffractometry (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The relative density and porosity of products were calculated using the Archimedes method. Through optimization of the arcing schedules (time) and excess Si amounts, 86.9 wt% of with a relative density of 86% was obtained. For all products, was identified as the main phase, while TiC, , and were identified as secondary phases. grains were in the form of elongated platelets; they were nucleated and grew on the surface of equiaxed TiC grains. The microporosity present in the TiC-equiaxed grains affected the density and porosity of the products.