Electrical discharge machinable B4C-(Zr, Ti)B2 composites with enhanced mechanical properties

B4C-30 vol% (ZrxTi1-x)B2 (x = 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8) composites were fabricated via in-situ reaction by spark plasma sintering using B4C, ZrC, TiC and B powders as raw materials at 2000 degrees C. The effects of the Zr/Ti ratio in the (ZrxTi1-x)B2 phase on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the composites were investigated. The electrical discharge machining performance of the composites was evaluated. The formation of (Zr, Ti)B2 solid solutions was beneficial to fully dense composites with refined grains. The grain size of the (Zr, Ti)B2 phase first gradually decreased from 1.26 mu m to 0.89 mu m and then increased to 1.23 mu m with the decreasing ZrC/TiC molar ratio. The material removal rate was slightly decreased from 6.56 mm3/min to 5.17 mm3/min with the decreasing ZrC/TiC molar ratio. The combined solid-solution and fine-grain strengthening has made the B4C-30 vol% (Zr0.2Ti0.8)B2 composite enhanced Vickers hardness, flexural strength, and fracture toughness of 28.31 GPa, 772 MPa, and 6.56 MPa center dot m1/2, respectively, with a relative density of 99.73%.