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Abstract
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In this study, SiC/TieCu nanocomposite was fabricated by mechanical alloying and sintering process. Effects of
SiC nano-reinforcement on phase transformation, microstructure and tribological and antibacterial properties
TieCu intermetallic alloy were studied. The microstructure of the powders and sintered materials was investigated
using X-ray diffraction, and scanning/transmission electron microscopy. The results exhibited the
formation of major TiCu and TiCu4, and minor Ti2Cu and Ti2Cu3 nanocrystalline phases in the sintered TieCu
and SiC/TieCu samples. With the addition of the nanoparticles, the amount of TiCu4 phase increased.
Reinforcing TieCu intermetallic alloy by SiC nanoparticles resulted in a considerable improvement in antibacterial
activity, hardness, wear resistance, and reduction in friction coefficient. The excellent wear resistance
of SiC/TieCu nanocomposite is attributed to the formation of hard TiCu and TiCu4 phases with a homogeneous
distribution of the phases in the nanocomposite as a result of SiC addition.
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