A review on the microstructure and properties of TiC and Ti(C,N) based cermets

Cermets are widely used in various industrial applications due to their high hardness, thermal stability, thermal conductivity, exceptional mechanical properties, and oxidation resistance. However, they often have low toughness and require complex production processes. Over the past few decades, researchers have conducted extensive studies to improve the performance of these materials. This review article provides a summary of the studies that have been conducted to optimize cermets by modifying their chemical compositions and microstructural features. Moreover, critical factors such as the impact of grain size and sintering temperature on the mechanical properties of TiC-based cermets, including toughness, hardness, and wear resistance, have been addressed. The review provides a comprehensive overview of experimental results and insights derived from studies on ceramic-phase rich (≥ 50 vol%) cermets over the past two decades. The focus is on the exploration of composition, fabrication techniques, and properties (mechanical, tribological, and corrosion) of these ceramic-based composites. In order to realize the full potential of cermets, it is essential to address and overcome the various challenges encountered during the production process. This will enable the creation of structurally engineered cermets that are homogeneous, functionally graded, and fine-grained, with full density. These properties make them suitable for a wide range of applications

A review of additive manufacturing of cermets

Cermets are a category of materials including ceramic and metallic phases, which possess the combined properties of both phases. Over the last few decades, numerous conventional processes such as powder metallurgy techinques and casting have been proposed for the fabrication of cermet components. In recent years, additive manufacturing (AM) has emerged as a promising method that can eliminate most of the limitations of conventional production methods. Among AM processes, selective laser sintering/melting (SLS/SLM), laser engineering net shaping (LENS), direct laser fabrication (DLF), binder jet 3D printing, and 3D gel/direct-ink-write/robocasting printing have been investigated for manufacturing bulk cermet parts. This study presents a summary of research that has been conducted to produce bulk cermets by additive manufacturing. © 2020 Elsevier B.V

Microstructure and texture evolution during the manufacturing of in situ TiC-NiCr cermet through selective laser melting process

The effects of different selective laser melting (SLM) scan speeds (150 mm.s−1, 95 mm.s−1, 60 mm.s−1, 55 mm.s−1, and 50 mm.s−1) on the microstructure and texture evolution of in situ TiC-NiCr cermet were investigated in the present study. The rotating scan strategy of 60° rotation (Rot-scan) was used to print the samples. Microstructural evolutions were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and X-ray diffraction analyses were used to identify the micro- and macro-crystallographic preferred orientation (texture). According to the results, the in situ formation of TiC via exothermic reaction resulted in different directions of temperature gradient in the melt pool. Consequently, nucleation and growth occurred in various directions. However, α-fiber texture could be observed in the orientation distribution function (ODF) of the manufactured specimens. © 2021 Elsevier Inc