Formation of a TiB2-reinforced copper-based composite by mechanical alloying and hot pressing

The microstructural changes during mechanical alloysing and subsequent hot pressing of Cu, Ti, and B powder mixtures were studied using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, differential thermal analysis, and electron microprobe analysis. In particular, the changes in the Cu grain size, lattice parameter, and lattice strain of the powder mixtures and the formation of new phases (TiCu4 during mechanical alloying and TiB2 during hot pressing) were investigated. The mechanism of the in-situ formation of TiB2 particles in the resultant copper composite was also studied.